THE DEAF MUTES INSTITUTE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10540, 29 December 1899, Page 2

THE DEAF MUTES INSTITUTE.

TO fffl! EDITOR OF THK I-SI3S, . ia —moored that the Government is negotiating, or has negotiated, (pr the purchaser of a -permanent site for *&c Deaf and Dumb Asylum of the colony; and that tfew -rite-is to be in the-Somner further up than where the pn»eufrented buildings _da_& ifa intimation of such __, intention on. the part of the Government was given, «tfeer by vote or otherwise, in the recent saesion of Parliament-, and j cannot think that the Government would take such ao, important step without any opport-jnity beia***-" given to Parliament to express an opinion on the subject• and without, as far a*Taos aware, any expert departmental report being laid upon the table. As one who was largely instrumental in pronwting i» Parliament the first establishment of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and was aubsaqnently engaged in tbe initiation of its first working, under Mr Van Asch, in what waa thought a temporary location atj bumner, r venture to express the hope that f ° oe tahea as that of placing tbe at Sumner permanently until the best expert opinions have been taken on the subject, and submitted to Parliament. The institution i* a oolonial institution, and its whole future largely depends upon ite proper location. A particular district, or personal influences, may desire to- have a well ordered and interesting institution in a particular locality; but it is needless to say that nil other considerations should be subordinated to the beat interest* of the inmates. It was ne-rer intended that the institution should remain permanently at Sumner, thoogh the place had many attractifns of chnjate, proximity to the sea, etc. t| It waa always recognised, and tow of ihe early reports will show this, that a special feature of auch an institution would be manual and technical training, and the facilities for obtaining mechanical skill and ultiI mate occupation in the industries of the colony. To this end it is esential that the institution should be within easy, access of one of the principal centres of industry— that is, one of tlie principal cities of the colony. . These principal 'cities will shortly be, and indeed already ore. the centres from which the ultimate development of technical and manual education will proceed. It is gratffying to see that already good work is being done in that dirction." I am not in a position 'to judge—probably no one is—how far the appliances which will grow round this new department, in connection with manual training, technical schools, schools of art, engineering, etc., could be utilised in connection with the asylum. I only mrention this incidentally and tentatively, believing that it is great advantage wherever it can lie done to give the opportunity to the afflicted and less fortunate members of society of mixing with more fortunate fellows. There is, however, no doubt that for' the purposes of teaching trades, and giving an opportunity of earning a livelihood,«it. .is essential that these children, to whom'other avenues of employment are, from, the nature of their infirmity, less open, should be in neaaonaible proximity to the workshops of the colony.. It is not, perhaps, for mc to make anggestions in a matter where I have no responsibility, and only aw interest. mainly drawn from the past. If I did it would be to suggest that offers should be invited of suitable sites*, whose locality would satisfy the necesrary conditions and cimunstances of the case. Next, the -offers should be reported on by tlie department, and that the Government ■select and submit one of them for the approval of Parliament.—Tours, etc., W. ROLLEBTOK. -