CHILD WELFARE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 13 January 1938, Page 10

CHILD WELFARE

NEW ZEALAND’S FINE RECORD f

HIGH TRIBUTE FROM ENGLISH LECTURER “New Zealand is certainly one of the safest countries to be born in.” declared Mr Edward Fuller, a 8.8. C. lecturer who recently gave a series of three talks over the English national radio system on what the world is doing for its children. Mr Fuller proceeded to prove his point by stating that in New Zealand only about 32 babies out of every thousand which are born die before they reach their first birthday—fewer than in any other land. In England in 1936. 59 babies cut of every thousand born died before their first birthday—“not as good as New Zealand” he added, “but one of the best records in the world and very good indeed compared with that of England of even thirty years ago, when the rate was twice as high.” “If civilisation can be measured by the degree of care which a nation takes of its children, then.” said Mr Fuller, “the most civilised country is probably New Zealand.” Later in his j opening talk, the lecturer paid another tribute to the Dominion for showing a j wonderful example of co-opcration when it decided to share its experience J with younger nations who, without adequate means were beginning to wrestle j with the problem of infant mortality. ! “It is,” he said, “one of the happier in- | cidents of recent international relations j J that the child welfare work in the Bal- | tic States and in thq Eastern part of | Czechoslovakia was started as the | result of the gifts of the people of New : Zealand some fifteen or sixteen year “•go.” HEALTH CAMPS In its 'health camp movement, New , Zealand carries the valuable work for child welfare a further stage, and the i practical backing for the camps is vol- ! I'ntarily provided by the thousands of people who. year after year make their j contributions as regularly and frequent- j ly as they use the mails, posting their letters with the stamp which costs two- I pence—“a penny for health and a penn}' ; for postage.” Over twenty Health ! Camp Associations are now at the j height of their seasonal activity on be- I half of thousands of under-nourished or otherwise physically unfit children who will be going into the carr,ps. The local organisations work along well ordered lines decided by their representatives on the National Federation of Health Camps. There are two types of camps. One is V e permanent health camp, conducted in buildings set apart for that sole purpose and kept open practically all the year round, and the summer hea’fch camps, available during ihe holiday period, making temporary use of school and other buildings. CHILDREN WHO ARE ELIGIBLE I Children eligible for admission to a j permanent health camp shall, generally speaking be those whose condition of

iib requires residence for an extended period (preferably not less than six weeks) under expert medical and nursing supervision. The children eligible for admission to the summer camps are those whose physical condition makes at’ isable a change of air together with simple routine inculcating the principles of healthy living, the period of stay being determined by local conditions. but n. t necessarily reaching the

six weeks period regarded as the minimum for the permanent camps. The opportunity to help this valuable movement is approaching its close, for the Health Stamp will be withdrawn from sale in February.