OBSTETRICAL APPEAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 930, 25 March 1930, Page 4

OBSTETRICAL APPEAL

LARGELY-ATTENDED MEETING AT DARGAVILLE ! The Mayor of Dargaville, Mr. F. A. \ ! Jones, presided over a well attended j j meeting at the Plunket Rooms on Fri- j day evening in connection with the obstetrical appeal. He mentioned that a i i of £SO was the suggested object- | ive for the district. Dr. Margaret Roper read Queen j Mary's letter to the women of New j Zealand, which thoroughly commended \ 1 the scheme, and dealt briefly with its j objects. i Airs. A. E. Harding, president of the j ; local branch of the Plunket Society, j i and a member of the Dominion Central ' i Council of the Society, mentioned that i the matter had been brought forward iat a meeting of the council in Janu- , j ary, when it had been urged that each branch of the Plunket Society should offer support. The Dargaville branch had authorised the grant of leave of its nurse, in addition to her regular holidays, to permit of her attendance at a course in obstetrical training. The branch intended also to organise sup- ! port for the present appeal. The following committee, with representation from various districts, was appointed, with power to add to its j number: Dargaville.—Mesdames F. A. .Tones, ! Dr. Roper, A. E. Harding, E. M. Clarke, , A. J. Finch. W. O’Malley, H. Armitage, W. G. S. Smith, F. J. Hiking, M. Gre- - ville, C. H. Crump, F. C. M. Shortt. Aratapu-Te Kopuru.—Mesdames E. R. Rope, J. A. Stubbs and J. A. Mar- ' shall. Kaihu.—Mesdames G. Downey, W. Hall and A. V. Docherty. Tangowahine-Avoca.—Mesdames - B. ‘ Coleman, H. Massey and S. Blake. Waihue.—Mrs. E. Russell. Tangiteroria-Pukehuia.—Airs. T. Ballantyne. Arapohue-Afititai.—Mesdames H. Gills, W. P. Begg and J. Morrison. Ruawai-Raupo.—Alesdames R. Laing and A. F. Wallace. The Mayoress, Airs. Jones, was appointed president of the committee, and Airs. Armitage secretary and treasurer. The president, secretary and Dr. Roper were appointed to act as an executive committee in matters of urgency. MORRINSVILLE MEETING There was a good attendance at a. meeting of women in the Alasonic Hall. Alorrinsville, on Friday afternoon, when Airs. Kenneth Gordon, of Te Aroha, gave an interesting address on the aims of those organising the fund to enable a professor of obstetrics to be appointed at the medical school in Dunedin. Airs. F. R. Alarx, secretary of the committee which is canvassing the country districts around Alorrinsville, presided. Accompanying Airs. Gordon was Airs. E. AlcGirr, treasurer of the obstetric fund in Te Aroha. Airs. Gordon gave statistics showing the great contrast between the maternal mortality rates in’Holland and New Zealand. In Holland, where there was a three-year course in obstetrics for doctors, the maternal mortality was only one a thousand, while in New Zealand it was five a thousand. In England and New Zealand doctors had to study obstetrics for only six months. The result was that the doctors of Holland -were specialists in this branch of their profession, while New 7 Zealand medical students were handicapped by not having the opportunity of taking a course in obstetrics at their medical school. It had been noted that maternal mortality in New Zealand was greater in the country than in the towns, while the reverse was the case in Australia. It would be the task j of the professor of obstetrics and his ! assistants to find out why this was so, i in an endeavour to reduce the number ; of deaths in the country districts. ; After her address Meg. Gordon was I entertained at afternoon tea. All pres- i ent joined in thanking her for her in- i structive address. The campaign s being carried out energetically in the j Alorrinsville district, and the house-to- ! house canvass will be completed this j week.