KING GEORGE V FUND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 158, 5 June 1937, Page 4

KING GEORGE V FUND

MAGNIFICENT RESPONSE. MINISTER’S THANKS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 4. A provisonal total of £140,000 in donations to the King George V National Memorial bund for the establishment of permanent children's health camps in New Zealand was announced by the acting-Prime Minister (Hon. P. Eraser) to-night. This sum includes the original contribution from the Government of £25.000, plus its pound for pound subsidy after the fund had reached £50,000. This means that the public, apart from the Government, have subscribed £70,000.

Mr Fraser said there were amounts still outstanding, but. the tentative total indicated the magnificent i vvponse of the people of New Zealand. Hie Minister said the public subscriptions exceeded the most optimistic expectations, and he was particularly impressed with the magnificent manner in which the appeal had been supported by individual citizens.

“Every national organisation, public Or private, every local authority and every local institution, has enthusiastically supported the fund,” said Mr Fraser, “and I wish to offer the sin■■erest thanks of the Government ‘for the wonderful response that has been orthcoming. Particularly do I wish to thank those local bodies which, on top of local appeals, have risen to the occasion in this national effort. So widespread has been the response ol individual citizens, either in donations or subscriptions to street appeals, that I do not think it an exaggeration to say that every home in the Dominion has played its part in swelling the fund. That fact alone shows the national character of the fund. “When the final result is known. I am confident that the people of New Zealand will have worthily shown their appreciation of the life of a great King and their deep and abiding humanitarian instincts. The wonderful response will mean health and happiness for thousands of children in every generation to come.”