PRESIDENT RETIRES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 22, 21 October 1942, Page 3

PRESIDENT RETIRES

Mrs. Jowett’s Service To Plunket Society

Tributes for her outstanding service to the society during the eight years she bail been president were paid to Mrs. H. Jowett, at the annual meeting of the Plunket Society in Wellington yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Jowett has resigned, as she is now commandant of the W.A.A.C. Thanking Mrs. Jowett on behalf of the citizens of Wellington, the mayor, Mr. Hislop, said her ser f ices hail been as valuable to the community as the work of the society itself. Mrs. T. G. Gray spoke of Mrs. Jewett’s wonderful organizing powers, enthusiasm and ability to get things done, as outstanding features in work that was onerous and responsible. Added tributes were paid by Mrs. TV. Bullock, the new president, Mrs. R. M. Jack, on behalf of the suburban committees, and Miss J. W. Samson, charge nurse at the Plunket rooms. . Mrs. Jowett, who has been connected with the work of the Plunket Society for 22 years, was elected a vice-president. She gave a resume of the way in which the work had increased up to the. present time. During the first part of her term as president she was associated with the late Sir Truby King, founder of the society. For eight years, Mrs. Jowett said, she had been able to attend ail the meetings, with only two exceptions, and during that time she had made many friends who had the noble work of the society at heart. A special plea to young mothers to make work for the society their war effort was made by the speaker. Flowers were presented to Mrs, Jowett, also to Mrs. Grigg, M.P., who addressed the meeting, and to the mayoress, Mrs. Hislop. Our time and energy were equivalent to munitions of war and they must not be used on needless things, Mrs. Grigg said. We must do without all sorts of things, those little comforts and pleasures that were a drag on the wheels of war. Planning must be for essentials only; all else must go into the melting-pot. People must get down to grim reality. There were, however, some things that must not be affected and one was the health of the nation’s children. Wc talked of building a brave new world, but a grade A world with C 3 children would be no use. It was women’s duty to keep up the health of the community. From the point of view of a country mother, Mrs. Grigg said how invaluable the work of the Plunket nurse was in country districts, specially today with many women so absolutely alone. It was impossible to overestimate the value of the Plunket Society and its help to thousands.

The splendid progress made in work during the year was mentioned in the annual report. Figures had greatly increased for all visits except those made to homes, the decrease in this part being due to transport difficulty. Totals of visits paid to Plunket rooms, city and surburbs, pre-school children included, and to homes were: Adults, 44,312; babies, ■ 36,470; children, 5158; visits to homes, 16,852. There had been a total of 2274 new baby cases, 2720 babies under supervision and 1507 pre-school children under supervision. Expectant mothers advised totalled 376 and there were 357 for the mothercraft section.

The acute shortage of Karitane nurses and also of domestic help had resulted in much hardship in many homes where mothers with physical disabilities, and sometimes their husbands overseas, had been forced to battle alone with difficult babies. . Unfortunately the position showed no likelihood of improving till national life approached normal again.