THE MEMORIAL FUND

Southland Times, Issue 23166, 6 April 1937, Page 6

THE MEMORIAL FUND

Permanent Health Camps EXPLANATION BY LOCAL CHAIRMAN To The Editor Sir, —One of the noblest philanthropies of our day and generation is the public concern for the welfare of the girls and boys growing up in the community. There are many forms in which this noble philanthropy is exemplified, but the one I am interested in is that which the Government has decided on as a New Zealand memorial to the late King George V—permanent health camps for weakly children who need special treatment and attention. In order to remove some misunderstanding may 1 explain that what we call a “permanent camp” is not a separate institution, but a necessary supplement to the summer health camp. For a number of years local societies in many parts of the Dominion have been equipping and maintaining 'summer camps for children who are in need of a month’s happy holiday beside the sea, and whose parents are not able to provide this needful change for them.

There are, however, a number of children who need much longer than a month in order to recuperate—perhaps three, six or more months of skilled treatment and careful attention. Such children cannot be retained in the ordinary summer camp which is only built and equipped for a few weeks in the summer. A much better building is necessary for habitation during the winter and the site and situation of the camp must be more carefully studied. The permanent health camp will supply this need, but it will never interfere with the usefulness of the summer camp. In fact the Dominion Advisory Board at its meeting in Wellington last January decided that any surplus from the Memorial Fund would be put to equipping summer camps in localities where such did not exist In regard to the maintenance of the permanent camps, of which there will be four—one for Otago and Southland districts—this is to be the concern of the Advisory Board of the Health Camp Federation in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Minister of Internal Affairs. The local health camp committees’ main concern will be the yearly maintaining of the summer camps owned by them, and the yearly income from the. sale of health stamps will go as before towards the cost of keeping children in these summer camps. It is hoped that all local bodies, and all individuals who have at heart the welfare of the future citizens of ( our fair land will contribute to this Memorial Fund by subscribing to the Mayor’s Fund or that opened by you, sir, in the columns of The Southland Times. —Yours, etc., JOHN CHISHOLM, Chairman Southland District Executive, National Health Camp Federation. Invercargill, April 5, 1937. OVER £l,OOO RECEIVED READY PUBLIC RESPONSE EXPECTED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 5. The acting Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) announced tonight that over £lOOO had already been received in donations for the King George V Memorial Fund fcr the permanent establishment of children’s health camps. This amount is in addition to the contribution of £25,000 with which the Government opened the list. “It is extremely gratifying that in spite of the fact that the Easter holidays intervened since the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) opened the appeal over £lOOO has already been collected,” said Mr Fraser. Mr Savage’s address has been warmly commended throughout the Dominion, and I am confident that when local authorities, the Press and other bodies commence the work of organizing their appeals, the public will readily respond. I am sure all hope that our fund will provide a fitting memorial to his late Majesty, who always had the welfare of children very close at his heart.” Mr Fraser mentioned that some of the notable contributions already received included £5OO from the Dunedin Savings Bank, £250 from Sir Robert Anderson, £lOO from Lady Anderson, £5O from Dr Hay (Dunedin) and £lOO from the New Zealand Labour Party conference. It was expected that contributions would be announced shortly from local bodies, whose donations would be validated at the next session of Parliament. Several mayors of cities and boroughs had already offered to do everything in their power to further the appeal. LOCAL SUBSCRIPTION LISTS At the request of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) The Southland Times has opened a subscription list for the King George V National Memorial Fund. The object of the fund is to establish two permanent health camps for children in each island. A minimum of £lOO,OOO is required; and of this amount the Government has given £25,000 and has offered to subsidize, £ for £, all contributions received after the fund has reached £50.000. The following subscriptions have been received: — £ s d

THE MAYOR’S FUND At the request of the Prime Minister, the Mayor (Mr John Miller) has opened a subscription list for the King George V Memorial Fund at the Town Hall. The following subscriptio.is have been

Sir Robert Anderson 250 0 C Lady Anderson 100 0 0 Six Southland Sisters 3 3 0

received:— £ s a John Miller 1 1 0 Mrs John Miller 1 1 0