PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 92, 15 October 1940, Page 6

PLUNKET SOCIETY

NURSES' BUSY MONTH

The president, Mrs. H. Jowett, was in- the chair at the recent meeting of the Wellington branch of the Plunket Society. A bequest of £50 from the Lady Chapman Estate was gratefully acknowledged. The annual "Rhododendron Day" function at Karitane Hospital was discussed, and it was decided to hold this on October 17 and 19. The committee also decided to hold a "Paddy's Market" at 18 Kent Terrace on Saturday, November 30. Miss Samson, charge nurse, reported that the number of visits to the prenatal clinic during the month totalled 358, and that in the post-natal section there were 189 hew babies. Visits to homes in the city and suburbs were 1503, and visits to the rooms in city and suburbs included 2779 babies and 371 older children. There were 43 new cases in the pre-school section, and in this section visits totalled 320 adults and 321 children. Miss Hitchcock, matron of the Sir Truby and Lady King Karitane Hospital, reported that110 mothers and 17 babies were admitted during the month, while 13 mothers and-19; babies were discharged, leaving two mothers and 17 babies in hospital at the end of the month. GIFTS OF EGGS. Gifts had included 86 dozen fresh eggs from "the coastal towns branch. This collection was the result of an effort which is made annually by the branch, and was of material benefit to the hospital in tiding over the period when eggs are expensive. Children attending the schools in this area also help in collecting the eggs, and the committee commended the idea to other districts served by the hospital. The Plunket nurses' "bring-and-buy" was very successful and had realised £12. A vote of thanks was passed to the nurses for their, efforts in this connection. ;, (i ~'.'

HOSPITAL BOARD CHAIRMAN.

REPLY TO CRITICISM

(By Telegraph-^-Pi-ess Association.)

AUCKLAND, October 14,

'"The trouble is that too many people, even some of the Labour leaders, have not the courage to express their views and give a lead to the people," said the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. Allan Moody, at a board meeting -tonight in replying to criticism by the Auckland Boilermakers' Union of remarks reported to have been made by him at a.previous board meeting. This report credited Mr. Moody with saying in reference to the 40-hour week that "the sooner the unions wake up the better," and that if he had his way he "would make them work till they, dropped and keep them working."

The union asked whether Mr. Moody, having got his way, proposed to take his place side by side with the workers or if he. proposed to be in charge of the whip? It also asked whether the •board members could consider Mr. Moody after this outburst a suitable person to be chairman.

Mr. J. V; Macky moved that the board reaffirm its confidence in the chairman. He had no personal recollection of the words being used by the chairman.

Dr. Hastings said he had. heard the remarks;made. "You !also said they'd make mincemeat of you," he said.

The chairman: I am prepared to take all they ban give me.

Other members said they had no recollection of hearing the remarks made. . . »

The chairman said the substance of his remarks was the Government's slogan, "work for your lives." His statements were made: from, patriotic motives. It would be illuminating to have answers to the questions: "Is New Zealand exerting her fullest war effort? Are the members of some unions. anxious for Britain to win the war and to work longer hours, and if the necessity arose to work even to the point of exhaustion to save not only themselves but the Empire? • ■

What he "had said at the last meeting was that for the duration of the war it was the duty of everyone to work to save the Empire and to keep on working if necessary even until they dropped. "I make no apology to anyone, and I am certainly not going to. be bulldozed into silence by an irresponsible section of the community," he added.

He said it was not the case that he had-been hitting back at the hospital staff. He enjoyed happy relations with them.

Dr. Hastings said he had heard the actual words used by the chairman, but he would accept his statement..

The motion of confidence was carried without dissent.