PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 224, 21 August 1937, Page 12

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

SUB-NORMAL CHILDREN. INFORMATIVE REPORT. Mi ss AI. McLagan presided over the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Plunket Society, which was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday' afternoon. Also present were Mesdames M. Aitchison (secretary-treasurer), W. G. Black, A. E. Mansford, K. Garland, G. C. Petersen, H. B. Free, A. Grigor, R. C. Burnett, L. A. Ferguson and T. J. Rodgers. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames A. Coombs (president) and L. H. Collinson. Mrs Burnett, who was present for the first time, was welcomed by Miss McLagan on behalf of the president. A letter was received, notifying the branch that the T. G. Macarthy Trust had donated £45 to it for general purposes.

An invitation was received from the Townswomen’s Guild for the branch to be represenfed at a meeting to be held to discuss the proposal to erect a public building as a memorial to pioneer women, Mrs Aitchison and Miss McLagan being elected to attend. Mrs R. T. Tidswell was granted two months’ leave of absence. The Christchurch branch wrote soliciting spring flowers for their annual appeal on September 8, and members signified their intention of helping in this direction. It was intimated that the next general conference of the society would be held in Wellington on November 4 and 5. and Mesdames Aitchison. Petersen, and Black were elected to attend.

A report on the provincial conference of the Wanganui district branches was read'by Airs Aitchison.

NURSE’S REPORT. The report presented by the Plunket nurse (Miss A. M. Kearns) stated that 155 visits had been paid to homes, and 1387 to the office (adults GBO. babies GOB, and older children 99). ’thirty new cases had been added to the books. Parcels of clothing were gratefully acknowledged from Mesdames Brien, D. C. McDonald .'and "McLeod.

Dealing with out-stations, the report stated that four visits had been j>aiu to Foxton and two to homes. .Aisits to the office totalled 198 (adults 98, babies BG. older children 14). Four new cases had been added to the books. Sales for the month had realised £.17 12s 2d. Membership fees, of 5s had been received from Mesdames H. A. Rush. C. Hyde. 0. S. Stevenson, F. R. Lewis, G. C. Blake, F.„\V. Hill. A. E. Sawyers, F. L. Gibbon, R. Burnett, A. R. Anderson. New. A. Tarrant; and 10s from Mrs W. Whitehouse. Donations had been made I>> Meed ames -T. Barnao. D. M. Douglas, and an anonymous donor (10s each). Mesdames C. F. Dalgetv (17s). and G. L. Reed'(ss). The collection box had realised 18s Bd. The total receipts were £24 12s lOd. CHILD WELFARE.

In reference to the question of subnormal children, which was brought up "at a recent lueetin" hv Airs Petersen, a letter from Aliss W. A. Valentine, supervisor of special classes ol the Education Department, was read by this member. Mrs Petersen was asked to gather information to place belure the committee. Aliss Valentine stated that she could not give statistics for New Zealand, and 'that to ascertain the percentage of defectives hern every year would require the services' of a very carefully- organised committee of investigation. In 1927' a committee was set up by the Government, to go into the matter of mental deficiency, but it dealt chiefly with the social significance of the condition. Alost people did not realise that to ascertain the number of defectives in New Zealand would mean the setting up of a committee which would have to work for a year or two before reliable statistics could be produced. The last committee set up in New Zealand did not produce its report until 1929. ft did its work very thoroughly, and it appeared likely that the statistics they published might hold good for New Zealand. The standard of living was higher here, but it was debatable whether or not the statistics were thereby Ipwered. The infant welfare conditions were better, but she sometimes suspected that this was "a factor in keeping up the numbers, for many defective children would have died but for the great care bestowed upon them in infancy.

The English committee found that 8 per 1000 of the population of England and Wales were mentally defective to the degree of imbecility, or worse. If this was true for New Zealand we had 3000 to care for. These figures sounded very alarming, and even if they were determined to he optimistic and believe that they had only half that number the position was still very serious. It should be 'remembered that the numbers quoted wore quite apart from those receiving treatment in mental hospitals.

“You say you are specially interested in the 2 per 1000 group, and wish

MIIS BESSIE ORU

to know what is being done for them in New Zealand,” further wrote Miss Valentine. We differed from England in that large numbers of them were placed in mental hospitals, she stated, but she was unable to say what number was there accommodated. In 1930 the Mental Hospitals Department opened the institution known as Templeton Farm, where such children were taken care of and given training in domestic and outdoor activities. There were now several cottages altogether, containing about 200 patients. Many who went to Templeton returned home much improved by the training, but others, when too old for Templeton had to be sent to Stoke or other institutions. A great many parents strongly objected to sending children away from home where they preferred to give them training, though it was well-known that children of this type learned better from strangers, and became very much attached to institutional life. Many, of course, were too bad for training of any 6ort and were cared for st home or in mental hospitals. In Auckland the Education Department had established a day school for such children. Two teachers were emploved and about 30 children cared for. All of them had to be escorted to and from school by their parents, and the training was chiefly manual. in Wellington the After-Care Association s premises were open two afternoons a week and suitable children of all ages eould attend to learn handwork, games, singing, etc. The parents, found this training very helpful. The English committee found that the percentage ot mental defectives was higher in the country than in the towns. Members generally expressed al.arm at this position, and it was agreed that something should be done to arouse the Government to the situatl<!?'remit will b? framed and sent forward to the conference in Wellington.