A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOUR?

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1939, Page 6

A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOUR?

JT is perhaps not always true that “a, prophet is not without honour, save in his own country,” but the people of New Zealand certainly have little enough cause to be proud of the poor response that has been made to the Truby King Memorial appeal. In order that modest but appropriate recognition might be paid to the memory of a man who gave himself, in the fullest sense of the words, to the great work for the health and welfare of mothers and infants which he launched and developed on an impressive scale—-work which has brought health and happiness into untold thousands of New Zealand homes and many more in other lands—the Plunket Society appealed for a fund of £5,000. The people of New Zealand, that is to say, wore invited to contribute an amount of considerably less than a penny per head of population in memorial tribute to a man who spent all lhe best years of his life in devoted and nobly enlightened service to our Dominion community. Al a recent date only a little over £2,000 had been raised and it seems unlikely that even half the sum asked for will be obtained. New Zealand, it appears, is incapable of contributing even a halfpenny per head of population in memory of Sir Truby King. The Wairarapa has done rather better. Its contribution may work out at something over one penny per capita. '

As <i whole, this is a humiliating’ state of affairs, ft is perhaps hardly to be attributed to a lack of liberality. We are in the main, a free-spending 1 people and a good deal of money is even given away in support of objects certainly not more worthy than that of the Truby King Memorial. The poor response to the Plunket .Society’s appeal no doubt, must be attributed Io a deficient sense of values and proportion and to a very general failure to appreciate what Sir Truby King achieved for New Zealand. Measuring by the best and worthiest standards of merit and of benefit conferred, no human being has done more for this country than Sir Trilby King did in his life of untiring and inspired but unostentatious labour. Apparently, however, a great proportion of New Zealanders are unaware of the fact. Fortunately, Sir Truby King has in the great movement he founded and advanced so wonderfully—a movement that must be continued and expanded while conscience and enlightenment remain alive in this country—a monument that will not fade. In that he shares the lot of some of the greatest benefactors of humanity throughout the ages'.' As the Dominion 11 * President, of the Society is now urging upon branches, the work to which the Plunket Society is dedicated is never more needed than in days of war and destruction like those upon which we have now entered. The end and aim of the work of the society is to elevate human life to a bettor and happier plane, so that, as Sir Truby King himself once said, “our children may not. only survive but may grow up thoroughly strong and capable of taking their places worthily in th«* battle of life. ”