GIFT FOR BUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 308, 30 December 1929, Page 10

GIFT FOR BUND.

MOUNT ROSKILL LAND. AREA OF FOUR ACRES. DIFFICULT PROBLEM SOLVED. HOMES FOR MARRIED MEN. A' generous gift of land at Mount Boskill has been made to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind Mr. QjorgJ Winstone, sen. On Thursday last a agreement was signed to transfer to the institute nearly four acres, a beautiful large block, close to the concrete road, in the Winstone estate, near the State school, on a warm northern elope. .. "This is one of the finest gifts that has been made for the benefit of the blind people of the Dominion/ said Mr. A J. Hutchinson; chairman of the board of trustees of the institute, this morning. "It is truly a generous gift, one that will grow as the years pass along/ a gift that will enable us to bring together again fathers, mothers and children who to-day are separated. It will ensure to the 'bread-winners'. constant employment and a home withjn reasonable distance of their work, • Transport arrangements have been fully considered, and safe, economical transport is assured." , The married blind had been one of the particular anxieties of the trustees, continued Mr. Hutchinson, and it had been realised that their future happiness depended on the ability of the institute to provide work for the young and middle-aged, who, through .accident or sickness, had lost .their sight. In. the past, a number of such cases had been induced to enter the institute, but this plan meant separating husband and wife or father and mother and children, and the trustees wanted to avoid this. The question of providing homes \ for the men had been considered from all points of vieAV. The trustees had definitely decided that the institute workshops would provide the maximum earning capacity and that by some* means or other homes would eventually have to be provided for their. wives and children. The big difficulty to overcome was the high cost of land within reasonable distance of the institute. Before Mr. Clutha. Mackenzie left to attend the blind convention in England the matter had been fully considered, and it was decided that an ' effort would be made to secure a suitable "area , and proceed with the scheme. The chairman .was authorised to locate a suitable area and open negotiations for the securing of 'same. A suitable area was located at Mount Roskill. Mr. George Winstone, sen 1 ., was approached and the scheme explained to him.. Without one moment's hesitation he offered to give, free.of a suitable area of ground. Plans would be prepared . without delay, said Mr. Hutchinson, and' a building scheme would be promoted in.the New Year. It was proposed, as homes were needed, to start a campaign in the home towns of individual blind men to build for them and give them a life interest- in a home." in Auckland. A number of those concerned had ; homes in other.centres,,others*.had some, capital (compensation), which would be allocated to assist in building a home. 'Arrangements would be made to secure •to'the' widow, on the death of her hus r band, any financial interest the blind man had in the home.

In expressing appreciation of the gift, Mr. Hutchinson said the generosity of numerous citizens throughout the Dominion had made possible an important extension in the institute's- activities in recent years. The purchasing of goods made.by the was also an important factor, because of the bearing it had upon the earning capacity of blind men. The sales hnd now reached more than ±1000 a month, and for the ten months, January-October, the proceeds amounted to ±11,000, compared, with — 9000" for the year 1928.