12 OPENING SESSION 



of this meeting at that time made one of his cogent 

 speeches, and that was reproduced throughout the world, 

 and the benefit of it was reaped by the most remote portions 

 of the Empire. For instance, in New Zealand I can say 

 this (I can only speak for the country which I represent), 

 that the Society for the Health of Women and Children 

 disseminated a quarter of a million copies of the speech 

 which was made at that Congress; and I cannot conceive 

 that such information directed towards the betterment of 

 man could fail to be of the greatest general benefit. 

 As a matter of fact, I know that it is so. I am 

 sent here, not for the purpose of conveying information, 

 but for the purpose of acquiring knowledge which will be 

 a benefit to us, and I have no doubt that we shall have 

 plenty of fruit to carry away; but much more will come 

 from reading the addresses which are to be given. With 

 regard to what the last speaker said as to securing some 

 direct pronouncement on the part of this great Congress 

 as to what would be a reasonable figure for an infant mor- 

 tality rate, I am heartily in accord with the suggestion that 

 anything over 50 per cent, in 'the not distant future should 

 be regarded as abnormal. I am optimistic enough to be- 

 lieve that our rate will be reduced to half that figure, be- 

 cause, even under the most favourable conditions, the death- 

 rate in infants is due largely to avoidable causes. In the 

 lowest rates I have seen the figures are not as low as they 

 might be, for included in many of them have been deaths 

 due to such causes as over-laying. I think it would be a 

 very great benefit if some kind of pronouncement were 

 made by this Conference in that respect. There is just one 

 other point I would like to refer to. I think that, con- 

 sidering that this is the centre of your vast Empire to which 

 we are looking for inspiration, it would be a very great 

 and very noble thing if this Congress and the agencies 

 which it can command would give some more definite pro- 

 nouncement than now exists regarding certain cardinal 

 points dealing with the health of children. For instance, 

 I should like to see as definite a pronouncement as possible 

 made with regard to the frequency with which children 

 should be fed, because the practice varies so largely be- 

 tween ten times in the twenty-four hours to five times. 

 There are also other matters such, for instance, as whether 

 the child should ever be fed during the night. We have 

 the means at our disposal, and anything coming from the 

 centre of this great Empire would have an enormous in- 

 fluence upon us at its periphery. I have to thank you for 

 your patient hearing and to convey greetings on behalf of 

 New Zealand. 



