PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1921, Page 6

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

THE NEW PLYMOUTH BRANCH. ANNUAL MEETING. The third annual meeting of the New Plymouth branch of the Plunket Society was held at the Kawaroa bungalow yesterday, the Mayor (Mr, F. E. Wilson) presiding over an attendance of about twenty-five. THE YEAR’S WORK. The annual report stated:— In presenting the third annual report of the New Plymouth branch, the committee has to record another year of steady work and progress. In July last Nurse Williams resigned her position as Plunket Nurse owing to ill-health. She has proved herself an earnest worker, and the committee desires to express its appreciation of her splendid services. Nurse "Petersen, who had been appointed as second nurse in August, undertook the entire work in October, and by the constant use of the motor car which the public of New Plymouth so kindly provided, Nurse Petersen has managed to cope with the ever-growing work, and there are many indications of the esteem in which she is held by the mothers who seek her help. A new feature of the past year’s work was the inauguration of the mother’s rest room at the annual Winter Show. The committee of this show allowed the Plunket- Society the use of a room and also allotted a space or a stall, free of charge, where demonstrations were given and literature, garments and patterns were shown and soid. A big stock of patterns was cut by the committee, and can always be obtained from the Plunket Nurse Since Nurse Petersen commenced duties here she lias given monthly demonstrations in the preparation of humanised milk, and in February she I gave a lecture to mothers upon the i Plunket Society’s work, its aims- and objeets.

The committee is glad to report that the society’s rooms in Brougham Street continue to be much appreciated, and that during the past year they have fitted them •fl'p with complete equipments for the health of mothers and babies. The nurse constantly has telephone calls from mothers in the country asking for her help. The committee feels that the advisability of opening up branches outside the New Plymouth dit-trict should now‘be consider-

Tn November last the society conducts cd a baby contest, and with the proceeds from this .and from a sale of work and afternoon tea at Kawaroa Park, the society benefited to the extent of £lBO 12s lid. The treasurer’s report shows a balance of £306 7s 7d, so That the society is in a strong financial position, despite the fact that all expenses have increased during the past year. The salaries of all Plunket Nurses were increased in April last from £l5O £2oB per annum, but against that the Government subsidy was increased by £25. The branches now have to contribute a proportional part jof the central council’s expenses, and our contribution whfrh was sent in March amounted to £l4* for the past two years. There has been a big increase in the sale of books published by the society, and the committee has distributed leaflets “What Growing Children Need,” to all mothers attending the rooms. The nurse’s report shows that a total of 2136 visits have been paid to homes and 4802 mothers and babies have visited the rooms during the past year. These figures show the enormous de- z velopment during the past three year/. At * the general conference held in Wellington in 1920 we were represented by our president (Mrs. Burgess) and Mrs. G. S. Millar, whom we appointed as our delegates and who kindly gave a very interesting report of the. work done at the conference. In August last our branch was registered under the Incorporated- Societies’ Act, 1908, andVhe committee thank the members of the Advisory Board for their assistance ,in this matter.

Our thanks are due to the Press for publishing accounts of the society's work and to all donors and subscribers to the funds of the society; the Borough Council for the free use of the trams for the nurse; Mr. J. S. Medley for auditing the society’s accounts; Mrs. T. Shaw for supplying the milk for the demonstrations-; and also those ladies who have sent flowers to brighten and make beautiful the rooms which are used for so worthy a cause as helping the mothers and saving the babies.

Nurse’s, report.—Plunket Nurse Petersen has the following figures for the year ending March 3'l, 1921: Visits to homes 2136; visits to rooms 4802 (babies 2123, mothem 2679); new cases for the year 118; mothers instructed in the preparation of humanised milk 76; advice given to expectant mothers 18; demonstrations in preparation of humanised milk 6; and lecture to mothers 1.

Statement of account for year ending March 31, 1921: Receipts. —Bank balance in current account and cash in hand April 1, 1920, £373 6s 6d; annual subscriptions £74 9s; donations, including proceeds of cdheerts bazaars £lBO 12s lid; grant from Government, ’ £76 12s- 4d: sale of books, £5 8s 7d: sale of sugar of milk. £3 Us Id; interest on deposit G.P.0., £l5 9s 6d; rent (part of rooms) £2's Ils; use of telephone £5 8s; sundries- £5 ss. Expenditure: Nurses’ salaries, including refund training fee, £24)4 6s 8d; nurses’ expenses, repairs to car, etc., £54 12s 3d; rent, cleaning, light, fuel £77 6s 8d; printing, stationery, advertising, postage, £l6 Is 2d; telephones, £lO 16s J\l; bank charges 18s, purchase of £ll 5s Id; contribution to Karitane, £l4; nurses’ accident insurance, £2 14s lOd;

hand or in bank on March <3-1, 1921, £'3o6 7s 7d. Totals: £765 13s lid. PROGRESS REVIEWED. In moving the adoption of the report president (Mrs. C. H. Burgess) stated that the year’s work had gone on very steadily and the society had progressed in a satisfactory manner. They had grown past the initial stages of the uphill fight to force the Plunket system before the people of New Plymouth, and she felt certain that the work had come to stay in the district. (Applause). Had members attended the conference of all Plunket societies held in Wellington’ they would have realised that the t stem had been built up from purely unselfish efforts, with an idealist, in the person of Dr. Truby King, at the head of the movement. Dr. King had “stuck it” during the progress of the society and deserved all honor and credit. He told the conference that the delightful thought crossed his mind that each month there were considerably over one thousand women sitting in committees in the Dominion, to consider ways and means for the betterment of the welfare of mother and. child.

Touching on the past year’s operations Mr®. Burgess said they had been fortunate in having good nurses. It was not always the right kind of woman who entered the training institution for Plunket nurses. The work required special qualifications in the individual, and when the conference decided to raise nurses’ salaries it wa& hoped this would be a step towards attracting suitable women to take up positions with the society. To Nurse Petersen expressed personal appreciation in addition to the thanks of the committee. Nurse Petersen had carried out a great deal of work. A step that had been much appreciated was the establishment of a rest room for mothers at the agricultural show, and also an information bureau on phases of the society’s work. In this movement the committee had received very courteous treatment from the officials of the association. Tn pointing out that the work hhd grown considerably the president said it was a question whether operations should not be continued further afield, by the setting up of subcentres in the country districts. This would be worthy of the attention of the incoming committee. It would mean a considerable amount of extra work and also securing the services of a second nurse.

Financially the society had a gqod year and had the Government subsidy arrived sooner to allow of its inclusion in the balance-sheet the credit’ shown would have heen the same as last year. This could be regarded as very satisfactory as a good deal of extra expense had been incurred during the year. The motion for the adontion of the report was seconded by Mrs. Newton' King, and was carried without further discussion. ETJECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Patron, the Mayoress (Mrs. F. E. Wilson); president, Mrs. AV. C. Weston: vice-president. Mrs. Newton King; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Stuart Russell: committee (with power to add): Mesdames Cock, Ambury. Denny-Brown, Jenkin. T. Shaw. Home, Nicholson, H. Rusfiell, V/ade. Standish, P.lacklcX\ and Hay and advisory board: Messrs. J. C, Nicholson and Gordon Fraser, and Dr. Walker. GENERAL. Tn moving a hearty vote of thanks to retiring officers, members of the committee, and honorary auditor, the Mayor said he was well aware of the great benefits which were derived through the ministrations of a Plunket nurse in the community, and the citizens were indebted to those ladies and gentlemen who devoted/time to helping forward" the work. The vote, was earned by hearty acclamation. / At the conclusion of the meeting afternoon tea was dispensed. |