The Health Stamp And 4000 Children

Northern Advocate, 1 October 1938, Page 11

The Health Stamp And 4000 Children

[ His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral, Lord Galway, inaugurated this year’s Health Stamp campaign in an address, from the National Broadcasting stations, speaking from 2YA Wellington at 7.10 p.m. on Friday. This morning, the Health, ’Stamp —ld for Health; Id for ’ .Postage j—will bo on. sale, and tins medium l lbr fihahcing ’a valuable movement in the interests of the health of children is again commended to public genex-osily, for it supplies the main resources of the health camps throughout the Dominion. Growth of Camps. Health., camps started in a modest way. It was realised that a special need existed which could not be so effectively met as by this co-operation of voluntary workers who were interested in children and prepared to give them a happy few weeks in the open, in pleasantly situated camps, where rest, recreation and diet could bo utilised to build up poor constitutions. When the Health Stamp became so well established as the .easy medium of public subscription the movement grew rapidly; camps were set up in positions which gave opportunities'to children from all parts of New Zealand, and the general control of policy was placed in the hands of a National Federation of Health Camps. ; Still greater impetus was given to the movement through the King George V. Memorial Fund, which will provide money for permanent improvements in the existing camps and enable new ones to be established. As these funds are expended for “capital” purposes only, the seasonal activities of all the Health Camp Committees still depend wholly on, the money made available year by year from a generous public, on the assurance that the “Penny for Health” represented in the twopence paid for the stamp is devoted entirely to the maintenance of children in tbe camps and that contributions from a particular district go to the benefit of the children from that district. Auckland Area. The programmes of the health camp organisations throughout the Dominion indicate that, they will provide this season for nearly four thousand children, the number being limited only by the extent of Health Stamp resources, which have never failed in the past and are again being relied on for extended activities made possible by the improved and enlarged camp facilities now being provided.

The children of Auckland City and from a wide area to the North and South will go to the Auckland Central Council's attractive camps at Motuihi Island .and Campbell’s Bay. the expected total being 1534 for the season. Another fine camp is conducted by the Waikato Children’s Camp League near the mouth, of the Waikato River, where about 750 children will enjoy themselves during the summer. The Otaki Camp, conducted by the Wellington Children’s Health Camp Association, is going to take over 600 children from a wide area, and there will be another camp on the West Coast of the North Island, organised by the Wanganui Health Camp Trust Board and catering for at least 50 children. South Island.

In,the South Island the movement is equally well organised and .adequately equipped to give health and happiness to many hundreds of children. The Marlborough Health Camp | Association’s camp near Picton will j take nearly 50 children; the Nelson 1 Children’s Health Camp Association j plans not only to provide for the j children of that educational district I but also to give complete change of I environment to a number from the I Westport area, making a total of over j 60. CJreymouth children will be sent! to the East Coast, to the Christchurch j District Executive’s camp at Rangi- j ora, where the total number of happy visitors will exceed 200 during the season. The Sunlight League Camp Committee is conducting camps at j Sumner, Pigeon Bay and Duva-1 chellos Bay for a total of over 150 j young guests. The S.aith Canterbury | Health Camp Committee plans to 1 have a hundred children in its Waimate camp and hopes to provide for another 50 in a new camp at Timaru. In Otago there is to be a camp at i Kurow for 40 children, this being j conducted by the North Otago Child- j ren’s Welfare Association. The Dune- 1 din Health Camp Central Council intends to invite 104 children to enjoy the benefits of the Omanui camp, while the Company Bay camp will take between 60 and 70,. the Wnikoualti camp about 84, and the Pounaifiea camp (conducted by the South Otago Health Camp fejtecutWe) another So.