H.—3l.

Community Sunshine Association held a camp for some ninety children in the Hawke's Bay area from families who suffered severely by the earthquake. Dr. Anderson, School Medical Officer at Napier, reported that on their return to Hawke's Bay these children showed immense improvement in physical and mental health. During this winter the community Sunshine Association in Auckland is carrying on a series of health camps for necessitous children. The Waikato Health Camp Association held a camp for approximately two hundred children last Christmas holidays at their camp-site, Waikato Heads. The Hamilton Health Camp Association held camps at Okete for boys of the Young Men's Christian Association. The Wellington Children's Health Camp Association, a voluntary organization, has entered upon its first year of activity, its aim being to provide for delicate and undernourished children, an environment where the healing-power of nature may have full scope. In its extreme youth the association received from Mr. Byron Brown a gift of 4| acres of land in Otaki to be used as a site for a health camp. The association still owns this area. At a later period, however, Mr. Byron Brown handed over for philanthropic purposes to the Hon. the Minister of Health an area of land in Otaki comprising 60| acres, on which it was decided to establish health-camp buildings. The Government purchased Native lands adjoining, so that the total extent now available is 107| acres. By the transference of the open-air wards (Anzac and Suvla) from King George Y Hospital, Rotorua, to Otaki there is now a building on the site well adapted for the purpose of holding health camps and capable of accommodating some one hundred children. The completed premises at Otaki were handed over for administration to the Wellington Children's Health Camp Association, which is responsible for general camp arrangements and maintenance. The Raukawa Health Camp, providing for children the opportunities and joys of a sunny sea-coast, was thus established. In the early part of the year a camp was held for some forty-five delicate children for a period of four and a half weeks, and subsequently fifty-five children belonging to the special classes in Wellington were in camp at Otaki for two weeks. Since the 6th June the camp has been occupied with groups of children for the most part suffering from malnutrition. From the Dominion standpoint the value of such camps is undoubted. They attend to the stitch which taken in time saves nine. To give weakly children an opportunity to become strong is not only humane, it is in accordance with common-sense, and even from cold financial considerations is desirable. Owing to the generous assistance of the Postal Department, substantial help in defraying the cost of health camps has been obtained from the sale of health stamps during the Christmas and holiday season. A 2d. health stamp provides Id. postage and Id. contribution to health. The health-stamp appeal in England, on the Continent, and in America annually brings in a large sum which is devoted to anti-tuberculosis efforts. It was the health-stamp campaign that made the Raukawa Health Camp possible, funds from this source defraying the greater part of the cost of transfer of the open-air building from Rotorua and its erection at Otaki. Tuberculosis. The percentage of children found suffering from tuberculosis on routine examination equals 0-04: per cent., which is a slight decrease 011 that noted for last year. The work of following up and the examination of children who are tuberculosis contacts is gradually extending. In making provision for this group, means for securing improved nutrition are essential. A considerable portion of the homes visited are those of relief workers or of ex-service men on small pensions who are handicapped by poverty. That the better supervision of children who are tuberculosis contacts is an essential and profitable undertaking is indicated by the results shown in School Medical Officers' reports. In the Wellington District, for instance, where the co-operation between the School Medical Officer (Dr. Bakewell) and the Tuberculosis Officer for the Hospital (Dr. Short) is excellent, the following return gives some indication of the work done :— Tuberculosis Contacts, Wellington District.—Summary from 21st February, 1931, to 20th February, 1932. Number of schools visited— 3 monthly .. .. .. . . .. . . 77 12 monthly .. .. .. . . . . .. . . 10 Number of families on register . . . . .. . . . . 328 Number of children on register (but 44 have been lost sight of during the year) 700 Number of children examined by Dr. Short .. .. .. .. 356 (But number of examinations carried out by him) .. . . . . 376 Number of children— X-rayed .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 54 Receiving inunction .. . . .. .. .. . . 9 Receiving ultra-violet ray therapy .. . . .. . . .. 2 To Psychological Clinic (Dr. Russell) . . .. .. . . 3 To orthopaedic specialist (Dr. Gillies) .. . . .. .. 4 To eye, ear, nose, and throat specialists (Drs. Simpson and Hope-Robertson) 34 To office for weighing or examination by School Medical Officer .. 90 To Macarthy Home, rest-home, or health camp .. .. 39 Treated at dental clinic or hospital dental department . . . . 182 Number of visits paid by school nurse to this group (approximately) .. 900

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