CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 125, 8 March 1935, Page 6

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

AUCKLAND HOME OFFERED. LORD NUFFIELD'S GENEROSITY, ANOTHER £IO,OOO GIVEN. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND} This Day. At a luncheon tendered to Lord Nuffield, Mr W. R. Wilson offered his residence at Takapuna for the use of crippled children. , This is a magnificent gift as the house is one of the finest in New Zealand. Lord Nuffield subsequently announced his intention of donating £IO,OOO additional to the £50,000 announced at Wellington on Monday night, for the purpose of endowing homes for crippled children. TRIBUTE BY THE GOVERNOR. CHILDREN SHOW APPRECIATION

AUCKLAND, March 7

"I cannot .refrain from referring to Lord Nuffield's munificent gift for the benefit of crippled children," said the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe) in his, address at the children's farewell rally in the Domain to-day. His Excellency's words were greeted with a storm of applause. "There are many unfortunately," said his Excellency, "who, in spite of this healthy climate of yours, are through not fault of their own prostrated by infantile paralysis, tuberculosis,' and other infantile diseases, which have severely handicapped them for life. Even if the mental, moral, and spiritual welfare of ybuth, especially the forfhation of character, be the main purpose of education, it is severely hampered by physical weakness or Moreover, the educationally and financially weak are apt to hinder the progress and prosperity of the strong. "A Thanks Offering." "Lord Nuffield's gift is avowedly and significently a thanks offering for his own good fortune in not being a cripple himself. Should we not do all in our power to prevent rather than cure human disability? Should not those of us .who are endowed with the immeasurable benefit of sound constitutions and good health contribute, according to our means, our thanks offering from time to time for the benefit of those .who are not similarly endowed?" His Excellency asked what was the surest mode of prevention? He said it could be placed under two headings. First came scientific care of mother and child at the time of birth, founded upon nature's requirements. This the Plunket system so richly provided. Second, came after care, healthy and ( wholesome surroundings and due sustenance. • 4/9ilk for the Young. "Is this due sustenance at present provided in the matter of milk?" his Excellency asked. "This is- a land flowing with milk and honey, nature's meat and nature's sugar. An adequate supply of milk for the young, even if it be at the public expense, is a fine national investment, both in providing stalwart robust citizens who will do credit to the nation in 'the future, and also in saving hundreds of thousands of pounds now expended by taxpayers and ratepayers in remedying the widespread after effects of youthful malnutrition.

"Of all the highly civilised countries Great Britain and New Zealand are said to have the lowest consumption of milk, a head of the population, in the world. Britain is worse than New Zealand, but I am not sure that Britain produces so much. She is to-day embarked on an active milk crusade. I am going to venture to hope that New Zealand, with fewer difficulties to face will do the same."