PHYSICAL WELFARE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 88, 24 January 1942, Page 2

PHYSICAL WELFARE.

MILITARY CAMPS AFTER WAR (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 23. A fortnight’s refresher course for the men and wqmen physical welfare and recreation officers of the Department of Internal Affairs at Lower Hutt concluded this afternoon with a special demonstration of exercises in training tables for classes of the Home Guard, the Air Training Corps, the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, and the other organisations. In congratulating the officers on the performance the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said that it was not possible to over-estimate the national importance of physical welfare work. By spreading this movement through the community New Zealanders would be strengthened for all the tasks of war and peace and the foundations would be laid for a still stronger nation. Mr Fraser agreed with the suggestion of the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) that some military camps well supplied with water and sanitary equipment should not be scrapped after the war but retained for use as health camps and summer schools. It would he a great shame to have all the camps pulled down. The Hon. Adam Hamilton, member of the War Cabinet, concurred. The Minister for Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) said that it would be very beneficial to the public If some of the ever-increasing attention given to public hospitals were diverted to physical welfare work. It was ,a case of the old proverb: “Prevention is better than cure.” The people of the democratic countries, fighting with the nations which made physical training a religion, must have the keenest possible practical interest in the movements for fitness.