MOTHER AND CHILD

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 146, 22 June 1934, Page 7

MOTHER AND CHILD

WELFARE WORK

TRIBUTE TO SIR TRUBY KING

ADDRESS BY MR. W. NASH,

"I have-thought for some years:that there isno work like unto that inaugurated by Sir Truby King—work which has since been carried out by the Plunket Society," said Mr. .Walter Nash, M.P., in an address delivered "at the annual meeting of the Wellingtou branch of the Plunket Society yesterday afternoon. .'• . . « "■ Mr, Nash said he visited Canada last year and Honolulu in 1927. Before he left for Honolulu Sir Truby King called on him and asked if he could bring up, at the conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations, the ques- , tion of the importance of Plunket work. Sir Truby thought there was nothing in New Zealand of more importance than the work of the Plunket Society. Foilowing on that, Mr. Nash said, he gradually began to see what unique and- wonderful work was being . done by the Piunket Society, and last year, when he was in Canada, he spoke to-societies in that country which were engaged in the early-stages of the same,type of work. \'l do not for a ■ moment think that the work of- the society, in. New Zealand has reached the peak of :its usefulness," said" Mr. Nash. "It has, however, made remarkable progress. , .-..*■. ' ■ * . "A BEACON LIGHT." '.'1 met people in Washington, in Hew York, and in many Canadian cities, and they had all heard of Srr Truby King and the work of the Plunket Society in. New Zealand," said Mr. Nash. He referred to the- work in Australia and London, and added that requests for ' information and advice had come from China and other countries. "That beacon light is shining brightly in a number of countries, •because it is charged with an oil that cannot be put I out." Sir Truby held thai'if the child _ was looked after up to the age of five years it did not;, matter so much ia some ways after that.*;'- The' Plunket Society today .was giving the: mother advice, in the prenatal period, and ad-, vice and assistance during the infancy ;of .the child Mr Nash hoped it would be possible.in a short time:.to-extend " the activities of the society to the third of its aims and objects'which included 'matters affecting the healthand- wellbeing of children and the practical education of parents in, domestic hygiene ;' ia general. ' t " " ; ; . VALUABLE HELP. ■_■•-■■ Referring to the--voluntary principle which was a-feature of tho Plunket Society, the.speaker expressed the hope . that that system would be retained, fife was present at a recent conference in Duriedin/ and: heard the Minister '*• of Health say. that'''the work of the Plunket Society/ has got to be carried on anyhow; if you fail in your., work we cannot, as a nation to allow*, the work which Sir Truby King started to stap." Mr Nash aserted that the work would not* be done half so. well by a State brganisa tion as it was be-ing-done by the society. He hoped they, would always bef " able to keep the organisation going. .' : ■'■,■ '■ A tribute was paid by the speaker to the Wellington.: Rotary Club for the substantial' financial assistance it had ,;' given-to the'Karitane Hospital; and he expressed the hope that the" soeietys would never think of differentiating in the slightest degree,-between: the poor mother and the rich mother in regard to nursing assistance, and that it would : never.charge anything for the service rendered. ; FOE WORLD'S WELL-BEING. ."I doubt i whether there is a personality in the Southern Hemisphere who has done more for the world's wellbeing in.the last half-century than Sir Truby King," said Mr. 'Nash. But while he had the one idea, of keeping the children alive' and reducing the' infantile mortality rate, he also wanted to go further, and that was what the Plunket system was doing; that was,,to : keep tjie children healthy. .It was important that there should be /proper careVof the child . nntil it was five or six years of age: Sir,Truby King) had • said that we spent large.sums on -the ; child between six and fourteen, and if .we spent as much on the child from birth up to six years the results "would probably be 10 per cent, better. The opinion was expressed, by the speaker that whenever a mother died in giving .. birth to a child there-should be an i£ quiry as, to the cause .<of death, and steps.should be taken as far as possible tb; prevent sucH a thing happening; In .conclusion,/ Mr. Nash urged that while not discounting the magnificent social service started by Sir Truby; King, they.should not be content with.\ . looking after the mother before and at. the birth of the child, and in giving at--tentiori to tHe. child in its early months, but they, should carry on the work to-a later period so that the children would, becomeyhealthy, men and women. ' : On the motion of Dr. M. B. M; Tweed, medical adviser to the central council of the Plunket Society, a hearty vote of thanks was, accorded to Mr. Nash for his address. :., '