PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Shannon News, 3 May 1929, Page 3

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

- ANNUAL meeting of levin ■ BRANCH.

The Levin branch ol‘ the Plunket Society held its annual meeting on Monday afternoon in the Be Luxe Lounge. The Mayor, (Mr T. Hobson) •was in the chair, and there was an attendance of about 40 members. Apologies for absence w(re received, fiom Mesdamfis D. S. Mackenzie and E. M. Ryder. „ In opening the proceedings the Mayor congratulated the meeting on the large attendance, which appeared to be a record for the branch and which showed that ths Society was progressing and that the people were taking a great interest in it- year ha.l proved a satisfactory'' one' financially, and the credit balance of over-£lov would help to pay the expenses of the next two or three months. Ihe position with regard to the assets was also creditable. The branch now had its own home, in the Women’s Rest build; ing, and the prospects were brightened by the fact that the branch did not, as formerly, have to pay a weekly rent. Comfort had been augmented by the change. His Worship welcomed five representatives of the Shannon tsubbranch who were present, and said he was pleased to know that that 01ganisation was working heart and soul ‘with the, Levin branch for the good the Society. Shannon’s balance sheet showed a satisfactory state o± affairs, and the members were working very hard. ANNUAL REPORT OF LEVIN BRANCH.

f - The annual report of the Levin branch was as follows:—“Your Committee has much pleasure in presenting the second annual report and balance sheet, for the year ending March 31st, 1929. Monthly meetings have been well attended during the year, and members "of Shannon Sub-branch have attended quarterly. The Committee wish to’ express appreciation of the good work done by Nurse Norris, also Nurse Humphries, who relieved for two months. Funds have been raised' by members? subscriptions, two bridge parties and a shop day. Mothers who consult the Nurse were circularised, but the response was disappointing. Our thanks are again due to both the Borough and County Councils for grants of £lO each, also to the T. G. McCarthy Trust for £35. Mrs Hobson (president) and Mrs Smaill (secretary) were appointed delegates, and attended, the conference lield in Wellington in August. The most outstanding event of the year has been the building of the Plunket and Rest Ro6ms> which were opened just before Christmas. Great credit is due to the combined efforts of the Plunket Society, Wompn’s Bivision of the Farmers ’ Union, and Women’s Institute, for their wonderful'work in raising the necessary funds in little more than a year. The Committee thank Mr G. B. Hamilton, who audits; our books froof ' charge; the Be Luxe Picture Company, for use of the Lounge for monthly meetings; Mr W. Capper, for all cartage during the year; Mr H. HarVay, for the gift of a' kicking pen,; and ■ the Levin Chronicle, and the general public, for their willing assistance a! all times.” « SHANNON REPORT.

The following annual report was received from the Shannon sub-branch: “Your, committee have much pleasure in submitting* their annual report ahd. balamee-sheet for the year ending March 31st, 1929. Monthly meetings were inaugurated at the previous annual meeting and have been held regularly during the year, with good attendance. Under Nurse Norris tin work is progressing most favourably, and the Committee desire to express their appreciation of the _ able manner in which she lias carried out her duties. During the year funds have been inaugurated by means of can! parlies and a combined garden party and’ baby show. A-handsome grant of £25 wa)s received-from the l T. G. M.c< Carthy Trust and donations of £1 U each from Mrs C. Speirs and. Mr T. 0. Thwaites towards the furnishing of the new room. Our subscription list i? increasing, and we feel confident -'that it will continue to grow. During the year we lost the services of Mrs J. S Spencer, who had acted as honorary secretary and treasurer since the inception of the Society. A pleasant Afternoon was held jat the Plunkel Room, when a small token of esteem jvas presented to the retiring secretary The Society has beer, fortunate in securing a room entirely for its own use, which has added to the comfort of mothers and the Nurse. The thanks of the Society are due to the proprietors of the Shannon News, Mr Roach for supplying the Nurse’s lunch, and Mr T. King for free carrying and other assistance, and to the many citizens who gave their aid during the. pastyear.” NURSE’S REPORTS. * Nurse Norris reported as follows on the operations of the itwo branches: LEVIN. Visits 1 paid to homes 665 Adult visitors to rooms 1666 Baby visitors to rooms .. ~ .. 1207 Older'children to rooms .. •• 297 'Total ~ . •• 3070 New cases ~ 84 SHANNON. Visits paid to homes .. .. .. 134 Adult visitors to rooms .. . Baby visitors to rcqms .. .. •• 488 Older children to rooms .. . . 12s Total .. •• •• ™ New cases • • • • •LEVIN AND SHANNON. Adults to rooms .. •• 2099 Babies to rooms .: Older children .. • • - Total .. .• •• •• •■ •• •• Visits to homec BUU Total visits .. * • • ■ ‘ • 109 New cases .. .. ■•. •• ‘‘During the year,” the Nurse’s re-

port continued, “the health of the babies has been satisfactory-. A mild epidemic of measles and whooping • couga affected a number of babies and older children. A Plunket Nurses' 1 conference was held in Wellington, Nurses attending from Wellington- and the country, districts. The set of scales for weighing older' children is proving very useful now that systematic records of height and weight of children are kept up to five years. ’ The new rooms are a great advantage and very convenient. Mothers find the absence ot stairs a great benefit. A number of people interested in Plunket work ox other districts have come to 'see the rooms here and all were loud in theii praise of thorn. A Rest. Room at the Show was a great benefit to the mothers, and a largo number availed themselves of it. Girl Guides helped to mind the babies and older and thev proved very useful.” BALANCE SHEET.

•The balance sheet showed. that the vear commenced with a credit balance of £llO 6s 9d and concluded with a credit of £lO7 18s. 93. The receipts amounted to £398 18s Bd, the principal items being as follows: —Government subsidy £135 8s 4d, Levin Borougn Council subsidy £lO, Korowhenua County Council subsidy £lO, grant from T. G. McCarthy Tiust £35, Shannon branch contribution £35, annual subscriptions ai d donations £B7 5s Id, sale of emulsion £B3. The expenditure, amounting to £509 5s sd, included salary and expenses of nurse £246 4s 8d and purchase of emulsion, etc., £B2 5s sd. The assets at March 31st, 1929, ’amounted to £IBO 11s 7d, including the cash balance. The liabilities are represented by the transfer of the assets to the capital fund. The Shannon sub-branch commenced the year with a balance of £6 15s, and subsequent receipts amounted c.o £96 6s sd, including a donation of £2o; from, the McCarthy Trust and a refund/of £2O from fixed deposit. .The expenditure was £B6 7s Id, leaving a credit at, the end of the year of £l6 14s 4d. The assets of the Shannon sub-branch totalled £146. 6s Bd, which is credited to the capital fund. The reports and balance sheet were adopted.e OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:— -President, Mrs T. Hobson (re-elected); vice-presidentj, Mpsdames P. W. Goldsmith, W. Park, C. S. Keedwell and R. W. Percy (re-elected); committee, Mesdames HBenton, C. Bartholomew, W. M. Clark, W. Bavie, J. Shepherd, W. Falloon, F. Pirani, S. J. Thompson, D. J. Thomson, T. Bevan, M. Ryder, J. B. O Connor, L. J. Hunter, 'G. B. Hamilton, F. P. Stephenson, J. A; Smith, la. Walker, W. Walker, and' F. Gorringe, Misses Hitchcock, McKegg and Ensign Blaikie; and two delegates to be elected by the Shannon sub-branch; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mrs W. Smaill (re-elected); assistant secretary, Mrs W. Bavie; hon. auditor, Mr G. B. Hamilton (re-elected); advisory board, Brs Hunter and Thompson; Messrs T. Hobson, W, Falloon, W. S. Park, C. S. Keedwell, F. P. Stephentinn and W. Bonnelly. ME PRESIBENT’S REVIEW. •In addressing the meeting, the President said that the year had been a comparatively quiet one m regard to the cases dealt with, but . the Committee had worked hard in the movemen to establish the Women’s Rest and their own rooms. The money in liana would be sufficient to enable born branches to go on for two or three months; after that they would have to. make some effort. If there were sufficient members, *hus allowing Le committee to be assured of a certain amount of income, the special efforn would not be necessary 1 . The speaker hoped that the new committee would trv to obtain some new members and also ‘ collect outstanding, subscriptions. The number of visits to the rooms had decreased somewhat, but perhaps the health of the children had been betteiThe Society existed primarily for tn prevention of disease. The_ position ..generally reflected much' credit on the Nurse, whom the speaker wished *-0 thank, because she heard nothing bu, good of Nurse Norris from everyone concerned. The number of visits was probably reduced by the fact that tn Nurse’s room was now connected with the telephone. The Committee ant the Board had worked well during tin. year, which had been altogether a satisfactory one: In conclusion Mrs Ho.)son thanked the branch for bavin* re-elected her as President, and expressed the hope that Mrs Park won a be ready to take her place later It was rcteolved that the Commitlc.. meet bn the first Monday . in eaea month,'at 2.30 p.m. The meeting accorded a hearty voL. of thanks by acclamation, to Mrs Smaill for the excellent manner w which she had carried out the seen tarial duties*. A vote of thanks for presiding was passed to the Mayor, who said it ha 1 always giver, him very much pleasure to help 'the Society as much as possible, as well as any other institution in the town •which existed for the go d of the people. 41 . The meeting closer! with a vote or thanks to Mr H. McMillan for the use of the Lounge.