Newspaper Article 1949 – Plunket Annual Meeting

Plunket Annual Meeting

Tastefully arranged bowls and vases of autumn flowers graced the stage on the occasion of the annual meeting of the Woodville sub-branch of the Plunket Society. Mrs. H. P Horne, who presided, expressed her personal thanks to the honorary secretary, Mrs. J. Thomasen, and the committee, for their help during the last difficult year.  In the annual report it was noted that there are 63 new babies this year (a slight increase), that it costs the society £1 12s per baby for nurse’s services, car expenses, upkeep and rent of rooms. It was agreed that if mothers would place even the smallest of coins in the contribution box at the rooms as an acknowledgment of help, it would assist materially. A successful street stall was held during the year and the tin on Mr. Fausett’s weighing machine had yielded £5 11s 1d. His successor, Mr. Brown, had expressed his wish to assist the society in the same way. Regret was expressed at the death of Mr. H. P. Horne, who had been staunch friend of the society in many ways for great number of years. Mr. J. Thomasen was elected to his place on the advisory board.  Thanks were expressed to Misses Telford, of the Woodville Maternity Home, for their help to the Plunket mothers and nurse.  A welcome was given to Miss McCallum, who has succeeded the Misses Telford.

Thanks were expressed to the Dannevirke Hospital Board for a donation of £5 5s, County Council £2 25s, United Dairy Co-op, £2 2s; to Mr. D. S. Keay for auditing the books, and to the Tomasen family for opening and closing the Plunket rooms. Appreciation was also expressed of the many services of the Grinlinton’s family down the years. Mrs. Grinlinton’s resignation was accepted with regret. Mrs. Horne announced her own resignation as president after 16 years in that office. A long service certificate is to be awarded to Mrs. Horne as soon as it comes to hand from the engravers.

Mrs. E. J. Harding was elected president and the following are the members of the new committee:- Mesdames W. Galbraith, R. Lawrence, Klein, G. Sinclair, E.C. Horne, Morris, Bly, Hollis-Jones, Robertson, E. Hutchinson and W. Beagley. Mrs. Thomasen was re-elected.

It was stated that the nurse now came to Woodville for half a day on Wednesdays as well as all day Monday and if the Monday of the week was a holiday the nurse then came to Woodville for all day on Wednesday.

A short but delightful programme was provided by an “All Plunket Baby Cast,” those taking part being Marie Smith (elocution), Jennifer Wylie (piano solos). The Beattie twins and Beth Grigg, with Isobel Olsson as pianist, gave vocal items

Following the serving of afternoon tea by the committee, Mrs. Purdie, president of the Pahiatua branch, congratulated Woodville on the number of members.