Feilding Health Stamp Committee

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 43, 21 February 1936, Page 3

Feilding Health Stamp Committee

PERMANENT BODY SET UP, Members of tho organisation set up in Feilding towards tho end of last year to further the Health Stamp Campaign met yesterday afternoon when it was decided to form a permanent Feilding Health Stamp Committee. Those present wero Messrs T. Collins (Mayor), J. Purcell (postmaster), C. H. Tate (town clerk), 0. M. Sargisson, G. J. Fitzpatrick, A. K. Robertshawe, G. Elstone, and Mesdamcs A. C. McCorkindalc, R. Crabtree, P. G. Guy and E. Scott.

Mr Purcell produced a statement concerning the receipts from the campaign in Pending. This statement set out that the sale of stamps produced £(34 17s lOd; sale of envelopes £5 16s 6d; donations £23, making a total of £93 14s 4d. Of this sum Peiiding received half the stamp sales proceeds, two-thirds of the proceeds on the sale of envelopes and the wiiolo of the donations, or a total of £59 6s 7d available for the committee. That money was held by the Post and Telegraph Department until the establishment of a permanent committee which would be tho body to administer the funds collected locally. The secretary, Mr Tate, reported on a meeting held in Palmerston .North at which information was imparted regarding the health camps, it being stated that school children were admitted on the recommendation of the school doctor. The fare from Peiiding to Otaki each way was 3s 6d but the speaker had been under the impression that children for the health camp were to be carried free. As to the funds, various suggestions wore made, one being that they be concentrated at Wellington and the cost of children from tho different districts would be met out of the fund and the charge would be debited against the district concerned. He had since received notice from the postmaster that Peiiding ; s procedure was to apply to the Director-General of Health for permission to form a permanent health camp committee. On approval being given the funds collected in Peiiding would be handed over to the committee for administration. Tho Mayor stated that he had discussed tho question with the postmaster and understood that by forming a local committee Peiiding would have definito control of the funds collected. If the money went to Wellington the children from this district would not be effected but the moneys collected locally would be lost sight of. He moved that the meeting form itself into a health camp, committee. Mr Purcell seconded the motion. Replying to Mrs McCorkindale the Mayor said that children from the Peiiding district would go to the Otaki camp, and that camp was in the Palmerston North Hospital district. Mr Tate said that the demand for accommodation at Otaki was growing and at present this camp served Wellington and Hawke’s Bay as well as tho Palmerston North Hospital district. It was likely that a portion of the health stamp money would be used for administrative expenses. Mr Purcell said that it had been suggested that a small levy be made on the funds collected to meet capital and administrative charges, but nothing further had been done. The motion was carried unanimously. The Mayor stated that the committee’s activities would be confined to Peiiding as the surrounding district’s had their separate committees. On the motion of Mr f’itzpatrick, the Mayor and Mr Purcell (treasurer) were appointed the trustees to operate on the account which will be opened in the Post Office Savings Bank. Discussing the question of camp costs the Mayor said that tho cost per child w r as an unknown quantity. Mrs McCorkindale said that last year the charge per child was 10s. It was agreed to approach the Health Department for full particulars as to the charges. Reference to the valuable work done by Mr Purcell during tho campaign was made by Mr Pitzpatrick who felt that the committee should place on record its appreciation of that work. Regarding tho campaign the speaker was of the opinion that largo sections of the community were not approached to support the movement. He hoped that in future campaigns the organisation would be extended to cover all sections of the community. At the instance' of Mrs McCorkindale the meeting agreed to extend the committee to includo representatives of the several' women’s organisations as well as the ladies’ of the various sub-com-mittees who worked during the last campaign. The Colyton, To Arakura, Cheltenham arid Makino Women’s Institute’s desired, to be associated' with the Peiiding committee. This representation which included tho Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union embraced all women’s organisations in Peiiding and the immediate district. Mr Fitzpatrick said that he understood that only one child had so far gone forward from Peiiding. That was very good; nevertheless, he felt that there must be other children who should be given the benefit of the camp. Mr Tate said that the headmasters’ of the schools could make recommendations where they considered there were children attending their schools who should go to the camp. Mr Robertshawe stated that Dr. Gunn, the schools medical officer, favoured the Wanganui camp and he thought that might be the reason why children had not been taken from Peiiding. He would like the po.int cleared up bo that the correct procedure, as far as admissions to Otaki

were concerned, was clearly understood. The Mayor felt that the best method would be for the headmasters oi schools to make the recommendations which would be submitted to the District Nurse for approval. He was satisfied that the schools medical officer could not possibly cope with the position and suggested that his suggestion regarding headmasters and the District Nurso be placed before the DirectorGeneral of Healtlu