BETTER HEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 9

BETTER HEALTH.

PHYSICAL FITNESS. British National Campaign Launched. SIX MONTHS' PROGRAMME. Brit Ish Official Wireless. (Received 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October L The physical fitness national campaign was inaugurated by Mr. Neville Chamberlain who, at an allparty conference and with the'support of three -'former Health Ministers, urged wider use of health services. The immediate audience was composed mainly of leading representatives of local authorities and doctors, but the speech was broadcast.

Mr. Chamberlain outlined the publicity propaganda to be carried on in the next six months in co-operation with, and mainly through, local authorities. Each month up to February will be devoted to some special subject, such as maternity, child welfare, ante-natal clinics, school medical and dental services, milk in schools, tuberculosis and venereal diseases, so as to obtain the greatest amount of concentration.

"Up to this point we shall be dealing with services designed to cure, or better still, to prevent disease, but in the last month of the campaign we shall come to the latest, but not the least important of all our efforts to promote national health—new plans for encouraging physical development. Here we shall be dealing not only with school children but also with young people who are passing on to maturity.

"Some other nations, especially Scandinavians, have pot ahead of us in physical development, but I am confident we shall not be long in making up for lost time."

Other speeches were delivered by the Minister of Health, Sir Kingsley Wood; Lord Horder, Phvsician-in-Oriunary to the King; Mr. Arthur Greenwood, for the Opposition; and Sir Percy Harris, for the Liberals.