PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1917, Page 6

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

NEW PLYMOUTH BRANCH FORMED.

A meeting of ladies, convened by the Mayoress (Mrs. C. 11. Uurgcss), was held at the Soldiers' Club yesterday afternoon to form a 'branch of the Plunket Society in Xcw Plymouth. About 20 ladies were present and Mrs. Burgess was voted to the chair.

Mrs. Burgess said she was sorry the ; attendance was not larger. About a dozen ladies had written expressing their sympathy and promising their support to the movement. The meeting had been called to consider thp advisability and practicability of forming a branch of the Plunket Society in New Plymouth. Some ten years ago there had been a branch here, but for some reason it was allowed to lapse. The question of the care of children was a very important one and deserved tbe support of the community. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair said it might seem presumptuous for him to speak when there were present such experts as the Plunket Nurse from Hawera and the president of that branch of the 'Society. He had never -been directly connected with the Plunket Society, 'but in Christchurch he had been a member and for some time president of an organisation known as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and during that time; he had learned something of how .children suffered from cruelty, neglect, and ignorance, many of whom he had known to die. What was wanted was a campaign of education. The necessity existed for such a society, as beginning with the children would enable them to 'build up a strong and healthy race. There were many things to be considered, among them the question of children and the pictures. In Christchurch the Society with which he was connected had found that many pictures shown were totally unfit for children, and that many, even babies in arms, were suffering from being kept out late at night in connection with the pictures. If a branch were formed it would have his sympathy and all the help he could give. Nurse Dix (Hawera) gave an interesting address on the preparation of hufnanised milk and the proper care and treatment of babies generally.

Mrs. Blamires, president of the Hawera branch, described at length the aims and objects of the Society, pointing out that it WB.s mainly not cure, but a preventive Society. She gave an account of her experiences in connection with the Wellington. Christchurch. and Hawera branches, referred to the honor conferred by the King bv authorising til? use of the \vor4 "Royal" in connection iwith the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and laid stress upon the fact that the Society aimed not only at training nurses in tlie proper treatment and care of children, but also of including in the school curriculum some elementary training to girls in hygiene and the care of 'babies, which would ultimately enable them to become thoroughly efficient mothers. Since the terrible war had begun, many cf the youth and manhood of the country had enlisted, but 40 per cent, of them had been rejected as medically unfit. This was a lamentable state of things, and one which the.-Society's work woufd endeavor to remedy. They all sincerely trusted that such a time might never come again, but if it did. they hoped that the percentage of medically unfit would be very much lower. She concluded bv strongly urging tlie formation of a Society in New Plymouth. Adjutant l'carn, of the Salvation Army, gave an account of her experiences while engaged in social work in Auckland, and nf the great benefits that had resulted from the labors of the Plunket Society. A motion that a 'branch of the Society be formed in New Plymouth was unanimously carried, and those present were constituted a committee with power to add to their number. Mrs. Burgess ■was elected honorary president, and Mesdames Brown, Amburv. Hursthouse, and Miss Wade vicepresidents, while Miss Rawson was appointed honorary secretary.