H.—25

1941. NEW ZEALAND.

KING GEORGE THE FIFTH MEMORIAL FUND BOARD. (ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS OF THE KING GEORGE THE FIFTH MEMORIAL FUND BOARD) FOR THE PERIOD 1st APRIL, 1940, TO 31st MARCH, 1941.

Presented in pursuance of Section 19 of the King George the Fifth Memorial Fund Act, 1938.

During the year ended 31st March, 1941, the Board held four meetings, three in Wellington and one in Nelson. In accord with the aim of the Board a continued effort has been made to provide facilities throughout the Dominion to meet the needs of children who would benefit from health-camp treatment. The following is a review of the work undertaken in this connection : — Bay of Islands. —Several suggestions concerning suitable sites in this district have been investigated with a view to providing a secondary camp for North Auckland to accommodate 50 children at an •estimated cost of £5,000. However, for various reasons, the question of the site for this camp is still under consideration. Auckland." -Twenty acres of land situated about twelve miles from Auckland on the eastern shore of the Tamaki River and a little south of Bucklands Beach have been purchased for £3,000. This property has a long frontage to the tidal waters on the north and western boundaries. It is rich loam of a volcanic nature, in grass with scattered clumps of trees, while a great portion has a gradual slope to the north and down to the beach frontage, where there is a small inlet fringed with pohutukawa trees. Plans are being prepared to provide living and school-room accommodation for 100 children all the year round, with an additional 50 during the summer months. The estimated cost to complete the camp is £45,000. Port Waikato. —This camp is vested in the Waikato Children's Health Camp League, which has entered into an agreement with the Board that in the event of the League going into liquidation the camp would become the property of the Board. Tenders were considered and approved for alterations and additions to the existing buildings at a cost of £4,183 4s. Taupo. —Negotiations are proceeding to acquire 16 acres of easy-sloping lakeside ground in this area for the construction of the only inland health camp in the North Island. The estimated cost of the buildings is £5,000, and when completed the camp will accommodate 50 children during the summer months. Oisbome. —An area of approximately 1£ acres of the Makaraka Domain has been vested in the Board for the purpose of constructing a secondary camp to accommodate 50 children from four to six months each year. The contract price for the building is £7,156, and a further sum, of £600 has been allocated for the cost of the furniture and equipment. Every endeavour is being made to complete the work so that the camp will be ready for next summer. Wanganui. —At the request of the Wanganui Health Camp Trust Board, 17f acres of land and the buildings thereon vested in the Trust were transferred to the Board upon the Board assuming responsibility for past and present rates and the subsequent maintenance of the property. The Board authorized the expenditure of £2,660 on alterations and equipment for the buildings. A conservative estimate of the value of this property is £7,000. The camp is designed to accommodate 50 children during the summer months. Otaki. —Forty-seven acres of Crown land and 61 acres of land given by Mr. Byron Brown have been vested in the Board as a site for a children's health camp. An expenditure of £19,000 has been authorized to carry out renovations and erect additional class-rooms and dining-room accommodation at this camp. This work, which should be completed before next summer camping season, will so extend the accommodation to provide for 100 children all the year round, with an additional 50 during the summer months. A proposal is being investigated to lease the seaside sections of this property to ensure a permanent income to the Wellington Health Camp Association, which is responsible for its control and maintenance.