KING GEORGE V MEMORIAL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 12

KING GEORGE V MEMORIAL

Bill Passed By The House PRIME MINISTER THANKS THE COUNTRY [From. Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON. September 13. The personal thanks of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) were extended to-day to all those who were concerned in the campaign to raise funds for the King George V memorial. Speaking on the second reading debate on the bill in the House of Representatives, Mr Savage described the effort of the whole community as magnificent, and said that, without any qualification whatever, all who helped deserved the highest praise. In opening the debate the Minister for Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) said that the bill merely gave the legislative power necessary to implement the objects of the fund raised to commemorate the reign of King George. The original object had been to raise £23,000 which, with the Government’s £ for £ subsidy, would have given a fund of £50.000. The total actually raised by public subscription was £88,500, so the fund now stood at the splendid total of £177,000. “The object of the fund was to assist in establishing health camps throughout the Dominion." said Mr Fraser. “The bill sets up a board which will see that the money is wisely spent. The board will be composed of representatives of the Health. Department, the Education Department, the Post and Telegraph Department, and the Health Camps’ Association. “A Wonderful Effort”

“The country made a wonderful effort, and did credit to itself in paying homage to the memory of King George,” said Mr Fraser. “It was a great humanitarian impulse, in which the whole community was actively interested. The result has been a great achievement, and will mean a great step forward in the general health of the Dominion. The memory of King George will be immortalised in the better health of the people of this country.” , A It was a very happy thought, said the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui) that the memorial should have taken the form it did. It was a fitting memorial, and one which had touched the imagination of the people. . “I take this opportunity of offering my personal thanks to those who made such an outstanding success of the campaign for the memorial fund, said Mr Savage. “Without any qualification at all, I extend my thanks to all who were concerned with it. I would particularly like to mention the Leader of the Opposition and the honourable member for Hurunui. who gave a great deal of time and effort to the campaign, and went out of their wav to assist. It is a plain truth to me that nobody connected with the appeal failed in the least on this memorable occasion. The memorial is a magnificent idea, and it met with a magnificent response from the people.” _ ... The Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) and the Hon. Sir Alfred Ransom (National, Pahiatua) also expressed appreciation of the wonderful response to the appeal. The bill was then put through the committee stages, read a third time, and passed. ■