HEALTH CAMP

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 306, 23 November 1934, Page 11

HEALTH CAMP

DONATION OF SITE. MR HOPE GIBBONS’S GIFT. - An ideal site for a health camp lias - been donated by Mr Hope Gibbons and • | his family, states the Wanganui Chron- ' j icle. It is approximately nine and aI half acres in area, is comprised of undulating grass laud, and is valued at • £ISOO. It will be available to children 1 in. schools throughout the Wanganui Education Board's district; the annual cost of running it will be undertaken by a board of trustees. The Education Board will co-operate by giving the services of their officials, while the school medical officer will have charge of the children during the time they are inmates of the camp. The site of the camp has a frontage to Rimu Street, Gonville, not far from the Tawliero School. It is close to the

tramways, and is connected with the city drainage, water and lighting systems. Magnificent tree- provide admirable shelter from the prevailing winds, in addition to offering cool resting places in the heat of the summer. At present the site has a five-roomed cottage built upon it, while there is also another cottage on the section. This

will be dismantled and the best of the timber will be used in the erection of further buildings. The kiosk at Castlocliff, bought by the trustees, will also be transferred to the camp. _ To put the camp in working order and to make it ready for tlie reception of selected children, approximately £ISOO is required, in addition to the £437 which the trustees already have in hand. In order to secure

this amount, the trustees have approached the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. J. A. Young) requesting that the camp be included as bene- [ ficiaries in the proceeds of the next j national art union. Failing this, the j trustees have asked permission to or- j ganise an art union of their own. j “Wanganui is singularly fortunate in its public-spirited citizens,” said j Mr E. F. Hemingway, chairman of the. Wanganui Education Board, when reporting the gift to the board at the | monthly meeting this week. He said | that, following upon the decision of j the board to return to Dr. A. H. E. j

Wall the site of 22 acres at Castlecliff, Mr Gibbons had offered, on be-

half of himself and family, the Gonville site, provided the board was willing to support the health camp movement as in the past. “I need hardly say that I immediately assured him that the board and j staff would assist with every means i in tlieir power,” continued Mr Hem- j ingwav. He had, he said, visited the j Gonville site with Mr Gibbons, Mr ■ G. N. Boulton (secretary of the board), Mr E. R. Hodge (architect), Dr. Waff, Mr A. G. Bignell, and Mr | A. R. Donaldson. They had found ; that the site was all that could be desired.

“The thanks of the hoard are due to Mr Hope Gibbons and his family for their extremely valuable gift, which should enable Wanganui to possess a healthy camp second to none in the Dominion,” continued Mr Hemingway. “He has been most generous in the manner in which he lias come forward and offered to help the movement in this practical manner. No one regretted more- than I that the site at Castlecliff was unsuitable in its present state, and that it had to be abandoned in view of the statement of the health authorities. It Would have taken many years and a large sum of money, to put the Castlecliff site' into the condition of that at Gonville at the present time. It means that the health camp will probably be held this year. On behalf of the board I move that a hearty vote of thanks he extended to Mr Hope Gibbons and his family for their generous donation, and also that the board express its willingness to assist the camp movement by every means in its power.” “I have very much pleasure in seconding that motion,” said Mr J. S. Tingey. “It is a splendid gesture and most generous of Mr Hope Gibbons and his family.” Mr J. K. Hornblow also endorsed what had been said.

The motion was carried unanimously.