INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 142, 17 June 1899, Page 6

INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.

ANNUAL MEETING.

SUCCESSFUL YEAR

The annual meeting of contributors to the Institute for the Blind was held at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Mr John Abbott presided. There were also present: —.Messrs P. Lawry. M.H.R., Alfred N. Nathan, J. Thorncs, John Reed. F. A. White, H. M. Smeeton, Caleb Wood. J. Bridgewater, John Fawcus. J. A. Beale. Hon. J. A. Tole, J. L. Wilson. Hon. W. Jennings, the j Principal (Mr Tighe). and the secrc- j tarv, Mr R. Leslie Hunt. Reports.—The report of the trustees states:—The number resident i in the Institute is the same as at the ! date of last report, the admissions being balanced by the discharges, but ; each year the work among the nonresident blind increases. Last year we sent a sighted teacher and collector on the annual journey through , the colony. This year the journey ' will be undertaken by Mr Robert Miller, an inmate of the Institute for seven years. In August last the trus- j tees applied to the Government to \ place a sum on the estimates for the j special object of replacing the old ; buildings, with the result that a grant | of £500 has been made, out us this sum was paid subsequently .vto the : close of the financial year, it does not appear in the accounts. The building fund stood on 31st March at £1071 j 11/. In October la.st we had an nn- , fortunate outbreak of fire, by which an outbuilding used as a coal and wood shed, and the stable and wash- , house attached to our adjacent property were demolished. The buildings destroyed have been replaced at a cost of £118. The low state oi the funds last year pointed to the necessity of a special effort, and a committee of ladies was lormed to organise an Art Fair and Craft Exhibition in connection with which a donation list was opened, the effort w!.s eminently successful, resulting in the sum of £73S being raised. A bequest of £50 had bee* receivedU being a portion of the sum of fcoOO Sd bY the late Mr L. Ehrenfreid to the charitable institutions of Auckland and the Thames the vacancy on the Board caused by tue , S of Mr J. T. Garlick was filled by the appointment of Mr J. L. \u son. also thanked mecbcal officers-Dr. A. Marsack, Drs. A. G. A. C and F. M. Purehas, and Mr A. W Ghatfield—for their honorarj scr Sees faithfully and efficiently rendSd.to D ,^u^ras S staucC o in SrTr^outihr^^e school pupils: to the KevGM» ___ [ for kindly conducting the ex amination of the children «mygr. to the Union and Northern Steamship Companies, for concessions in fares and free carriage of books: and to Messrs Pullan and Armitage and Co and J- Martin., for travelling iacih_ %__&^ m*3^*S£*. and treasurer. . Mr J. W. Tighe (principal) re uorted— During the year five students Save been admitted, four have taken their discharge, and one has been £ a nted three month, leave o .b; ravtraTo/t^pupiAs d^ ? attendants Since the opening of the iersons, which number has since deJreas?d by nearly 100. 'The percental.of those born blind, or young SSdren losing their sight is, he was eorrv to say. on the increase. In the Sol pupils have made .steady pro- | press during the year. Rev. Dr. Pur ?has attends to the enp Jg. *«J Collier, Miss Law, and your secretarj ~„. j n the musical and other oe faithfully attended to their duties Professer Carrollo has also regXly attended. Books typewriters. Braille frames, arithmetic I boards, pads, etc., are all in good order Steady work has been don em the industrial department. Each year the Government has increased the or der« with the result that the lust.ment. The Institute also agam secured the contract from the Birken head Fruitgrowers' Association and ?hfs year supplied over 50,000 s rawbeiv boxes. During the year large quantities of fruit and other goods Save been forwarded to pupils in business in various parts of the colony. Three people, totally deaf and blind, have been taught to read and write, whih is to them a great comfort: and one old lady, who has been deaf and blind for many years, and whose people had no other means of comunicating with her but by the use of large wooden letters, has been . taught the manual alphabet. Twelve | hundred books have been distributed, j for the free carriage of many of which ; the Union S.S. " Company deserves thanks. As performers on the organ, j piano, and other instruments, the ser- ; vices of past and even present pupils are being sought for. Those who , have started in business have gone j steadily on; there have been no failures. Medical Officers Report.—Dr. Arthur Marsack reported that the health of inmates bad been satisfactory. Examiner's Report.—The Rev. Geo. MaeMurray reported that the chil- j dren had been carefully and intelligently taught. Mr E.'l. Hunt re- j ported the children had made fair progress in music. The chairman moved the adoption of the reports, which was agreed to. Accounts. —Receipts, balance last year, £31S 14/1; donations, etc., j £1220 1/S; Government subsidy on contributions, £1297 10/4; maintenance Government pupils, £314 17/4; do. from Charitable Aid Board, .£ll4 5/10; sale of manufactured articles, £562 15/9; other sources, j !£299 3/5; total receipts, £4127 8/5. Expenditure: maintenance of inmates. £644 11/5; salaries and wages, _£G45 2/1; purchase of trade material, j [£333 9/3; other sources (specified). : [£952 10/4; leaving a credit balance of j [£1422 14/5; investment account, | f£2199 13/4; building fund. £1070 j 11/0. In moving the adoption of the ac- j counts the chairman congratulated ; the trustees upon the result of the i year's operations. He said they were in a better financial position than at j last annual meeting. Their institu-j tion was in a most satisfactory position. They must never again allow I ' their finances to drift backwards.

Mr Caleb W Tood seconded the motion. He said Mr Abbott had been untiring iv his efforts to augment the funds. The ladies had also come forward and helped the institution nobly. The accounts were then adopted. Notes of thanks were accorded to Dr. Marsack and the examiners on the motion of the chairman. Mr F. Lawry suggested that the meeting should ask for another Government subsidy. The chairman said The suggestion was a good one. He moved that the Government be approached for a donation of not less than £1000. This was secended by Mr Caleb Wood and agreed to.