HEALTH CAMPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 927, 21 March 1930, Page 7

HEALTH CAMPS

NORTH ISLAND LEADS THE SOUTH ASSISTING CHILDREN Special to TUB SUN WELLINGTON, Today. The nucleus is already in existence of the chain of health camps for children which the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, hopes to establish throughout New Zealand. Curiously enough, though the North Island is well provided with health camp movements and camping sites, the South Island has none. Chief links in the chain in the North Island are in Wellington, Wanganui, Auckland, and Hamilton. In Wellington the recently incorporated Health Camps Association has taken out its articles of incorporation iu order to acquire the legal identity necessary to enable it to take charge of the fiveacre camp site at Otaki given by Mr. Byron Brown. In Wanganui the movement has held a number of camps, the last one on Awapuni Racecourse. With both these associations the Department of Health is intimately connected. The Auckland movement, which includes an open-air schools’ league, has been given a section and house on Waiheke Island, but money is needed to alter and extend the accommodation available. The Hamilton movement has no direct connection with the department, being started and largely run by younger members of the medical profession. To these camps children go, with the approval of their parents, to improve the state of health found by school medical officers. Very full co’-operation has been received from most parents, children and their elders alike being anxious to take advantage of a holiday spent in the open air. To the development of the movement, and extension of its activities, a portion of the funds received from the Christmas Seal campaign, it is hoped, will be devoted. However, it seems certain that the movement will continue to be largely a North Island one. though efforts are now being made to induce the South Island to join, in, at least to a limited extent.