PLUNKET SOCIETY

Southland Times, Issue 21097, 31 May 1930, Page 4

PLUNKET SOCIETY

THE GORE BRANCH.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The committee of the Gore branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society) will present the following resume of its activities to the annual meeting of the branch:

During the year the work of our branch has increased considerably as is shown by the nurse’s report. No doubt the services of our extra part-time nurse (Nurse Burnett) and the use of the car are in a large measure responsible for the substantial increase in the work of the year. Our Nurse: At intervals during the year Nurses Burnett and Wilson have given most instructive lectures and demonstrations on “The Twelve Essentials for Health.” These lectures were chiefly for the benefit of committee members, but the public was also invited. We are grateful to our nurses for their efforts in this direction. We also extend our grateful appreciation of their excellent work throughout the year. Sub-Branches: In April a sub-branch was formed at Balfour and was visited fortnightly by our nurse until the formation of a branch at Lumsden. It was then considered advisable for Balfour to link up with Lumsden, as this centre is but a few miles distant. The rest room which was opened at Wyndham in December has proved a great comfort and convenience to both the nurse and the women and children of the district. Mat aura, Edendale, Waikaia and Riversdale are progressing satisfactorily and have given their whole-hearted co-operation and support throughout the year. Visitors: We were happy again to have the opportunity of entertaining Mrs H. A. and Miss Massey, who were on a brief visit to New Zealand and paid a visit to our rooms in January. This being their first visit since they so generously donated an extra section adjoining the rooms, they were extremely delighted with the arrangement of the grounds and the rooms. A visit was also paid to our rooms by the lady members of the Tasmanian farmers’ delegation who were keenly interested in the work of the society. Finance: During the year a most delightful entertainment was staged by Mrs W. D. Shelton through which our branch funds benefited to the extent of £lOO. To Mrs Shelton and her company of Gore Follies •we again extend our most grateful thanks, for without their generous assistance our bank balance would indeed appear a diminutive one. We also wish to thank the Invercargill Savings Bank for a generous gift of £l5O through the Gore branch to our Wyndham sub-branch. We are pleased to state that our May appeal for funds has become universal throughout Eastern Southland, and for two years we have been able by this method to raise sufficient funds for the successful running of our branch and sub-branches. Rooms and Grounds: Our rooms continue to give comfort and pleasure to the everincreasing numbers who use them. For generous supplies of cut flowers for the rooms and plants for the grounds we are deeply indebted to Mr and Mrs R. W. Hamilton. To Mr Allison, Mr Johnston and Mr Irvine, who have contributed to the charm of our grounds by their practical interest, we tender our grateful thanks.

Nurse’s Report.

The following annual report will be submitted by Nurse H. Wilson: During the year the general health of the babies throughout the district has been good. In January there were quite a number of cases of diarrhoea, but none were serious. Eight mothers and 11 babies have gone to Karitane Hunt Hospital for treatment. Several of these babies were in a very low condition when taken in, and much credit is dile to the matron and staff there for the successful results that have attended their efforts.

During the year Mataura has been visited weekly, Wyndham, Edendale and Waikaia bbmonthly, and Riversdale monthly. The number of visits to these out-stations would have been impossible without the help of the nurse from Heriot. From the beginning of May until the end of October Balfour was- visited bi-monthly, but when Lumsden formed a branch it was found more convenient for the sub-branch at Bal-, four to have the services of the Lumsden nurse. Throughout the year visits have been paid to Waikaka Valley,- Knapdale, Charlton and Pukerau. I wish to thank all the members of the committee for their co-operation and support during the year, also Mrs R. W. Hamilton, whij continues to send supplies of flowers, and Mr Barnett, of the dairy factory, for testing milk from time to time. The statistics are as follows (the figures in parentheses being those for the year ended March 31, 1929): Visits to homes, 1669 (1397); visitors to rooms, adults 2832 (2543) ; babies 2588 (2154), older children 343 (445);. new baby cases, 219 (216); expectant mothers advised, 20 (19) ; babies breast-fed, 153 (155) ; babies artificially fed, 27 (39) ; babies breast and artificially fed, 39 (22). ’