CIVIC WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24775, 24 December 1943, Page 8

CIVIC WORK

THE MAYOR'S REVIEW SERVICE BY CITIZENS The great amount of valuable civic work which citizens have undertaken and the large sums of money they have contributed to patriotic and social work during the year were referred to by the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, yesterday, in expressing his thanks for the co-operation ho had received. He added that because of the gallantry of our own servicemen and those of our Allies we were ending the year in much happier circumstances than we had enjoyed for a considerable time. Mr. Allum also announced that the Auckland metropolitan area had not only exceeded its quota of £202,000 to the patriotic fund, but had also collected the sum of £42,000 which it was short of its quota last year. The total amount received was actually over £2-15,000. This was an excellent result and reflected great credit on Mr. F. N. Ambler and his collections committee, on thousands of voluntary workers, and on the generosity of the donors. Although the activities of the Emergency Precautions Service were now much reduced, said Mr. Allum, during the past year members had been called upon to do a very considerable amount of work, and this had been carried out with cheerfulness and loyalty to the organisation. With the increasing number of men and women in the Dominion's armed forces, calls on the patriotic organisation had grown materially. "As a consequence of iny office, a very great amount of the social work of the city comes under my notice, and it has given me pleasure to see not only how the work has been maintained, but expanded to meet the growing needs of the times," continued the .Mayor. "The Mayoress joins me particularly in thanking members of the various women's organisations who have done so much to ensure the success of the E.P.S. and the patriotic and other social work. The unselfish community service rendered by such large numbers of our citizens results in much good for the city and enhances its prestige, and 1 am proud of it." Mr. Allum concluded by expressing the hope that all citizens would have n happy Christmas, and that during 19-14 we would achieve complete victory and have all our loved ones home with us again.

BIG MEDICAL CENTRE

SYDNEY'S £2,632,000 PLAN A VILLAGE OF HOSPITALS SYDNEY, Dec. 10 Plans to create a national medical centre at Koyal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, after the war, were outlined by the chairman of the board, Dr. 11. H. Sell link, at the annual meeting tliis week. The plans had been generally approved by the Ministers-for Health and lor Local Government, the city and county councils, the senate of the university, and the Housing Commission, Dr. Sclilink stated.

"It will take at least 20 years to complete the scheme," he said, "but now is the time to acquire the necessary land and realign the roads at a reasonable cost. The board cannot meet the whole cost of resumption and looks to the Government lor help." The estimated cost of the buildings, equipment, furniture, furnishings, roads, gardens, and grounds was £2,632,000, spread over a period of 20 years in four five-year plans. The first was to cost £BOI.OOO, the second £3;i0,000, the third £190,000. and the fourth £1,200,000. Dr. Sclilink said that some might bo astounded at the cost, but the services at present rendered to the State by the hospital were estimated at £525,092 n year, and at the end of 20 years would "be more than £2,000,000 annually.

The centre would be a collection or village of hospitals, not necessarily under the same management. All would be within easy walking distance from the University Medical School.

NATIVE RACES' FUTURE

AUSTRALIA AS TRUSTEE SYDNEY, Dec. 19

Australia's duty as a trustee for the native races in the Pacific was emphasised in resolutions carried by a conference of Anglican archbishops and bishops in Melbourne. The conference adopted a Christian Charter for native peoples drafted by the professor of anthropology at Sydney University, Prolessor El kin. The conference affirmed its "conviction that after the war both the Government and the nation would be in honour bound, to accept the principle of trusteeship for the native and indigenous races, and to apply to them the principles of the Atlantic Charter, protecting both them and their lands from exploitation by economic and commercial interests, and assisting them to develop both themselves and their lands in their own interests."

STABILISATION SCHEME MINISTER CLAIMS SUCCESS (P.A.) "WELLINGTON, Thursday "Twelve months ago, on December 15, the Government announced its full stabilisation programme. At the 1940 conference all sections of the community —workers, employers, farmers, manufacturers and traders had joined_ in framing that policy," said the Minister in Charge of Stabilisation, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan.

"The stabilisation programme involved holding down the prices of a wide range of the essentials of living, stabilising farm prices and costs, individual rates of pay and other remuneration, rents and transport charges. Looking back on the past_ 12 months, one can confidently say it has been a substantial success. It is vital in preserving a sound, secure economic structure, without which the capacity of the country for production would be placed in Jeopardy."