A VALUABLE WORK

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 13

A VALUABLE WORK

RESIDENTIAL NURSERY The annual meeting of the Residential Nwsery Committee was held in the Red Cross Rooms yesterday afternoon. The Hon. Dr. Collins presided, and was welcomed back by Mrs- Corliss on behalf of the committee. The reports of the local branches who help the society were read. They came from B.erhampore, Hataitai, Karori, Kelburn, Northland, Khandallah, Kilbimie, Dower Hutt, Lyall Bay, Melrose. Seatouu, Wadestown, Island Bay, Wellington South, Oriental Bay, Eastbourne, and Johnsonville. The annual report, read by Mrs. Porter (president), showed that the last year had been most successful. It stated that proof of the far-reaching influence of the nursery was the increasing interest being shown by people in the work. Branches had been extended, and more practical support was ‘being given. Several sales of work had ,been held by young people, and very satisfactory results had been attained. The nursery had been enlarged, and the money necessary had been raised by the various branches. Several gifts had been received, among the most valuable being porcelain baths for the children, and a weighing machine given by the late Mrs. Maunsell. Visitors from all parts of New Zealand had been received. Lady Alice Fergusson paid a surprise visit to the nursery, and expressed herself as most interested in it. It was six years ago last February that the nursery was opened with five cots, and now there were 19. In that period both the nursery and the Nurses’ Home had been fully’ equipped, painted, and papered throughout, the mortgage had been reduced from £3lOO to £l9OO, and over £llOO had been paid for improvements. The nursery was always full, and the workers were to be congratulated on the result of their unostentatious and persistent work. A vote of sympathy was passed to the relatives of Mrs. Gertie, who died recently. The balance-sheet showed that the finances were in a very sound position, although tile cost of upkeep was considerable. Officers were elected as follow:— President, Mrs. Porter; hon. vice-pre-sidents, the Mayoress (Mrs. Norwood), Dr. Platts-Mills, Mrs. A. Crawford, and Mrs. Willis; chairman of executive, Hon. Dr. Collins; secretary executive committee, Miss Sheppard; secretary management committee, Mrs. Snell; treasurer, Mrs. G. Findlay; executive committee, Lady Beauchamp, Mesdames Tripp, Findlay, G. M. Morris, Corliss, Marchbanks, Porter, Misses Sheppard, Freeman, and Hon. Dr. Collins; management committee, Mesdames Hargraves, R. Gibbons, Seed, Davidson, Osborne, Line, Baldwin, Tavlor, Ashton, Gardiner, P. C. Watt, McArthur, Jas. McKenzie, Sunley, Wakehn, Sutherland, ■ Duff, Tofiks, Brooker, Pycroft, Pollock, Avery, Parkinson, Alderson, Hunter, Thomson, Misses Freeman, McArthur, Bennett, Hall, and Wiltshire; advisory board. Dr. Platts-Mills, Mrs. McVicar, Mr. G. M. Morris, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp, and Mr. P. C. Watt; lion, medical officer, Dr. G. Kemp; hon. auditors, Messrs. Dymock, McShane, and Scla’nders; hon. solicitors,_ Messrs. Findlay, Hoggard, and Morrison. Dr. Collins spoke of the valuable work of Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Findlay, and said he was glad to see the nursery and its grounds so well kept. “The impression I gained,” lie said, "was that it was run by an efficient organisation and with efficient officers. The work is done by women who are devoted to the children whose mothers are unable to look after them. For this service the parents are always extremely grateful. It is entirely a women’s organisation, and the women attached to it are earnest and hard workers. The branches and all centres raise money, and it is due to them that £l6O was made on Violet Day. Besides raising the money, they supply all sorts of necessary things and make themselves responsible for permanent improvements to the nursery and home. So much could not have been done without Matron McKibbon, who has given five years’ devoted service to the work, and who is now enjoying a well-earned rest. She is assisted by Sister McWhirter, who has been there since the opening. It is a great responsibility ■ and a great trust looking after the children, which is being done so well and truly by the matron and her staff. It is ■ a work which will have a lasting impression in the lives of the children. Sir James Parr has said that it is the most important work that is being done in New Zealand. It is being done by women with both heart and brains.” A letter was read from Dr. G. Kemp, who expressed his admiration for the matron and the staff for the work they were doing to help sick mothers. He hoped the work of the nursery would increase as it filled a real need among the people of the city.

T)r. Collins said that the institution ■was most fortunate in the interest taken in it by the medical profession. The report proved that there was no lack of interest in the home.