MEMORIAL FUND

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 416, 24 April 1937, Page 6

MEMORIAL FUND

PROVIDING HEALTH CAMPS Statement By Acting Prime Minister. Some local authorities seem to be under a misapprehension at to their pov.crs to contribute to the King George the Fifth National MemorialFund, which is’ being raised for ‘the purpose of establishing permanent children’s health camps in the Dominion, and a statement of th?r' position has been made by the acting Prime Minister, Hon. P. Frhser. Mr Fraser said that it was the Government’s intention that the memorial should be truly national, -and he pointed out that the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, had promised that any contribution by a local authority would be, if necessary, validated at the next Session of Parliament. The camps, he said, would •be more than a great social service. They would also be a memorial to a King who reigned over the British, CommonvJealth of Nations for tfrer 25 ydars, and he felt sure that the twofold spirit of th? appeal would meet with a nation-wide response. “If the whole of ths fund were supplied,” said Mr Fraser, “it would not be a na r ional memorial of the people themselves. In the same way, if the whole of th? money Were {contributed by the local bodies, 'the appeal would still Lack the response which the Government, the Right Hou. G. W. Forbes, the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Adam Hamilton, and others associated with it, desire. “It is our wish that the local bodies should contribute according to 'ihelfc means, but what is more important: we ask them to co-operate with Government in organising the response of the citizens within their areas. It is suggested that this could bes: its done by the Mayors and chairmen of local authorities arranging for the setting up of local c<ynmittees, and enlisting the aid of local organisations of every kind in seeking donations and devising methods of raiding funds. In some districts, through th? lack of local organisations, there are no appropriate channels through •which the people may respond to the appeal. “As far as possible the amounts raised in the various districts will be CT; dited to those districts. In his communica'ions with isations, the Prime Minister made it clear that he did not wish all the money to be sent direct to the Gov-

eminent in Wellington. Rather he desired ‘the local branches of ’these, national organisations to co-aperate with the local committees and to pay their coll.ctions and contributions in- , io the local fund whether it be administered by the Mayor, the County •r Town Board chairmen, or the local newspaper. At the same time, however, they are asked to advise the national body so that each national organisation will be in a position, ‘"'hen the fund closes, to s'* ate what its branches and jts members hlave contributed.”