HEALTH STAMPS

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 15

HEALTH STAMPS

NATIONAL RADIO ADDRESS GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S APPEAL The National Health Stamp Campaign was officially opened with a Do-minion-wide radio address by His Excellency the Governor-General (Viscount Galway) at 9.5 p.m. yesterday. His Excellency spoke before a specially installed microphone at Government House, Wellington, connected direct with 2YA studio, which relayed the addtess by land line for broadcasting from the Auckland national station. The Christchurch and Dunedin national stations robroadcast the address from 2YA. The large amount of preliminary work accomplished will enable the campaign, with its £IO,OOO objective, to make a vigorous and effective start, for the co-operation of mayors and > others prominent in local body activity has been extremely heartening to tho health camp organisations throughout the Dominion. Women helpers, who have for many years been such consistent supporters of this good work, have again offered personal service right throughout tho Dominion, and already no fewer than 86 street collections m various cities and towns have been organised with the approval of the local authorities. Lord Galway said: — “ This year, as most of my hearers know, a special effort is being made to promote the sale of the health stamp. It costs twopence. A penny is for postage, and we all agree that our excellent Postal Department will give us good value for that expenditure. Ihe proceeds from the other penny will he handed over, without deduction, to the organisations concerned in the administration of children’s health camps. Here again there will be good value received for those pennies, and I gladly take the

opportunity afforded me by the New Zealand Broadcasting Board of commending the health stamp campaign to the consideration of the generous people of this Dominion. “ An appeal on behalf of children’s welfare always strikes a sympathetic chord in our hearts. Children are a delight, and we parents all feel that everything we can do to promote the health and happiness of our children is effort well spent. “ But ’our interest goes further. It extends to all children, and I feel that you share with me the opinion that every child should enjoy a happy childhood. the foundation, of which is sound health. “ My own short but very happy acquaintance with this Dominion has demonstrated to me that, in general, there is a very satisfactory standard of health, that most children are brought up amidst good surroundings, and that they have every opportunity to profit by tho splendid climate of this beautiful country.’ But, unfortunately, there are many children in our midst who are handicapped bv their environment and who, unless friendly help is extended ' to them, cannot enjoy all the things which we regard as essential to happy childhood. It is on their behalf I make this appeal to you to-night to support tho health stamp campaign, because upon its success will depend an extension of valuable work for the benefit of the children. The health camps have already given thousands much happiness and a better start in life. This work has been sufficiently developed to demonstrate that only the fringe ofi the problem can bo approached with the resources so far at the command of the various organisations concerned, which range geographically from Auckland to Southland. “ Much, valuable work in conserving the health of our children is being done by State departments, but the activities of the organisations which will benefit from the health stamp campaign will provide in addition that valuable personal touch, that personal attention which means so much to impressionable children. I have mentioned the wide range of the existing organisations. This aspect is recognised by the promoters of the national campaign

for funds, and it has been decided that money raised in any particular district shall be applied for the benefit pf the children in that district. The honorary organiser, Mr Hooker, has had great success in setting up committees in all parts of New Zealand, and the campaign is based in a geographical sense upon the IS hospital districts of the Dominion. “ Here is an opportunity for personal service ou one of the thousand committees now being established throughout the length and breadth oi the land. Organisation, however well directed, cannot go far unless backed by the power of numbers, and in making this special appeal-to those who can spare time for personal service I venture to predict that, as a result of their work, they will realise so strongly the national value of the health camp movement and gain such a knowledge of the generous hearts of the people that they will soon come to regard service on a committee as a valued privilege. “ The Minister of Health. Sir Alexander Young, who officially endorses the campaign, has made a suggestion which will be followed: That the moneys collected shall be expended in the maintenance at health camps of children selected on the advice of officers of the school medical service or on the recommendation of medical practitioners. In many eases, particularly, he states, .from small hospital districts, the funds can be more beneficially used for the immediate help of needy children by sending them to an existing health camp (where proper routine ip established) than by expenditure on building and equipment. “ One can scarcely conceive a better method than the health stamp of providing an opportunity to subscribe in accordance with our financial resources. The response may vary from • one stamp to many hundreds, but I feel sure that the community will realise that there is a very real need for extension of the health camp work, and that the results in increased good health, in greater happiness to many thousands of children, our future citizens—will commend the campaign so strongly to your generosity that the ob- , jcctive* of £IO,OOO will quickly be readied.”