Children's Health Camp

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 274, 22 November 1934, Page 8

Children's Health Camp

NEW SITE SECURED (Special to Times.) WANGANUI, Last Night. Mr E. F. Hemingway made a most satisfactory statement at the Wanganui Education Board’s meeting to-day, regarding the health camp for the whole of the board’s district. “Following upon the decision of the board to return the health camp site to Dr. Wall in accordance with the terms originally agreed upon," he stated, "I received a visit from Air Hope Gibbons who, on behalf of his family and himself, offered a site of about-10 acres at Gonville for health camp purposes, provided tho board was willing to support the movement as it had in the past. I need hardly say that I immediately assured him that the board and its staff would assist by every means in its power. I duly visited the site with Mr Hope Gibbons and others, and we found that it was all that could be desired. Though within the city, it is in a quiet and somewhat secluded neighbourhood and consists of about six acres of level land adjoining tho road, with the balance rising to a convenient plateau on which the health camp buildings would be erected. The land has a fine shelter belt of pine trees, and what makes the site additionally valuable is that the Tawliero school is only a few chains away. "The section has been cleared and everything is now in readiness for the transfer of the tea kiosk from Castlecliff to the site.

“To put tho camp in working order approximately £ISOO is required, and the board has asked the Minister of Internal Affairs to include the Wanganui Health Camp as a beneficiary to that extent in tho proceeds of the next national art union he grants. In support of this is the fact that already the trustees have gathered on their own initiative: (1) Land valued at £1500; (2) building valued at £1500; (3) cash amounting to £437. Failing provision being made in the next art union, the trustees wish to be allowed to run an art union."

“If it were not for Mr Hope Gibbons’ generosity, I doubt whether we could ever have equipped such a camp,” said Mr Dukeson, and Mr Hemingway added that the district owed a great debt to the Hope Gibbons family. Mr Hornblow wished to know whether any delicate children in the board’s area could enter the camp, and the answer was in the affirmative.