HEALTH STAMP CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1946, Page 10

HEALTH STAMP CAMPAIGN

COMMISSION ON SALES IS OPPOSED EXECUTIVE DISCUSSES PLANS Criticism of the policy of paying a commission tO'agents for the sale of health stamps was expressed at the annual meeting of the Westland District Health Stamp Executive, which was held at Greymouth yesterday. Members agreed that the policy, which had not been adopted -in this district, was unwise and not in. the best interests of the campaign. , Replying to a question aoout an item of £2OO for commission on the sale of stamps which appeared in a recent report by the DirectorGeneral of Health, Mr F. Mairs, chief postmaster ' at Greymouth, said that in some districts agents had been appointed to sell health stamps and had been paid for so doing. The system, he feit, was quite wrong, and he would not like to see it introduced in the Westland area. “All work done in this district has been voluntary,” he added. “We want to avoid any system of payment, though we control our own funds and could do it. I do not beleieve it is a fair proposition as it is taking rponey [rem the children for whom it is intended.”

The Mayoress, Mrs F .A. Kitchingham, presided at the meeting, which was attended by postmasters and delegates from Ross, Hokitika, Kumara, Runanga, Brunnerton, and Blackball. Representatives from the Red Cross, the Crippled Children’s Society and -the Grey Hospital Board .were also .present. Advice was received from the Railways Department that children travelling to health camps would be granted free booking facilities for second-class accommodation. Health Stamp Sales District postmasters, reporting on sales of health stamps, stated that their main efforts had been centred round obtaining the interest of school children and their teachers and that postwomen had sold stamps while on their delivery rounds. . Townships where there were no large business establishments had not had the facilities for selling available to the committees operating in Hokitika and Greymcuth as firms were the largest buyers of stamps. Mr Mairs commended the scheme of working through the children as they frequently made their parents interested. Most teachers were sympathetic to the cause and were/prepared to assist themselves and tc« encourage the children.’There were many country schools in inaccessible places where funds could be raised if the health stamp campaign was brought to their notice. The postmaster at Hokitika, Mr Mitchell, said that children in that town had canvassed the whole district, from house to house, chiefly because of the support of the headmaster of the Hokitika District High School. He suggested that a similar plan be considered at Greymouth. It was decided’ that all district schols be circularised and the attention of teachers drawn to the assistance that could be given by school children in the campaign to raise funds for the maintenance of the health camp at Glenelg, Christchurch. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Pre.sid.ent> Mrs F. A. Kitchingham; secretary, Mrs E. Parfitt; treasurer, Mr F. Mairs; executive, postmasters and representatives appointed by the local area committees, Mrs E. Smith (Red Cross), Mrs R. Reid (Crippled Children’s Societv), Mr J. E. Stokes (Hospital Board), and Mr A. S. Sutherland (Rotary Club). It was decided that first day covers would not be sold to gain funds but that the system of giving them away would be' continued. Members were of the opinion that the covers served their' best purpose as an advertising medium. Increased Values The Kumara postmaster, Mr Clark, saici that a fact- that was; not generally realised was that health stamps had a high value when they had been out of circulation for a time; The last issue was already worth twice its face value. Mr Mairs said that as the average number released each issue was about 6,000,000 and there were 10,000,000 philatelists in the United States alone, it was not difficult to appreciate the increase in values with the passage of time. Mrs Kitchingham reported that the sum of £lO had been allocated to the-Westland executive, for advertising purposes. Donations of £5 from the Women’s Bridge Club and £lO/10/- from the Crippled Children’s Society were received with thanks. President's Report The president’s annual report* presented by Mrs Kitchingham, stated: “Since control passed to the present executive some 14 months ago, much progress has been made in regard to furthering the interests of children in need of health camp treatment. Thirty-nine children have received the benefits of a sojourn at Glenelg camp, Christchurch, and in every case have returned greatly improved in health, and showing increased weights ranging up to 15lbs during the period of their stay at the camp, which is approximately six weeks. “Children are accepted for treatment on the recommendation of the medical profession, but in the majority of cases, of the school nurse, who is attached to the Department of Health. Children from the following towns have attended Glenelg during the period:—Greymouth and Karorc, 12 children; Cobden, four; Faroa, qne; Kumara, two; Hokitika, five; Hari Hari, one; Ngahere, five; Nelson Creek, one; Blackball, three; Runanga, two; Dunollie, one; Inchbonnie, one; Te Kinga, one.

“Our main source of income is from the sale of health stamps, and the success of this depends entirely on the efforts of the area committees in the various districts prosecuting and furthering the sale of these stamps. The results last year were very encouraging and constituted a record for the West Coast.” Thanks were expressed in the report to the women who had acted as escorts to the children on their journeys to and "from Christchurch and to various organisations and private individuals for contributions. The report also stated that much of the credit for the record sales last year was due to the untiring efforts of the women sellers. The report added that the estimated expenditure in connection with keeping up the present quota of five children for the camp every six weeks was in the vicinity of £5OO.

Actual Expenditure Lower Speaking to the report Mr Mairs explained that the actual expenditure amounted to £l/19/- a week, but that the Government paid a 19/“bed subsidy” which reduced the actual cost to £1 a week. The full sum had to be paid by the executive but, in the course of time, reimbursement was received from the Government. This meant that the net cost of keeping children at the camp was nearer £250 than . the £5OO (approximate) which was actually paid out. The cost, he added, would be still further reduced if parents would accede to the request to give the executive the 10/- a week family, allowance for the period of their children s stay at the camp. Unfortunately, few parents did this, but the work had to be carried on for the sake of the children.