FOR THE BLIND.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19170, 29 November 1927, Page 5

FOR THE BLIND.

ANNUAL REUNION. PEARSON MEMORIAL FUND. j j In the .social room of the Municipal i buildings the local committee of the ] Pearson Memorial Fund entertained j the blind of the. City at afternoon tea yesterday. Among those present were: —Mesdames Archer, H. Holland and Clutha Mackenzie. The room and tables had been decorated by Mrs Williams with pot plants and flowers. The Mayor, Mr J. K. Archer, who presided, said the weather had kept some nway. He wished all a very good time. Mr Fraser Thompson gave an amusing talk on the green leaf diet. He advised against the habit, on the ground that it would produce a longlived generation who would be a nuisance bv their reminiscences, Mr H. Holland, M.P., on behalf of the Christchurch committee, said it was the third function of the kind. He referred to the charges made recently against Mr Clutha Mackenzie, which were dealt with by a Parliamentary Committee. Mr Holland said the charges were not justified, as Mr Mackenzie had done more for the blind than any other man in the Dominion. He had succeeded in raising £65,000 for their relief. "I am glad to say," said Mr Holland, "that the lot of our blind people is very much happier than that of those in * Australia and Tasmania." " Mr Clutha Mackenzie conveyed the good wishes of the authorities at the Jubilee Institute in Auckland and the trustees of the Pearson Memorial Fund. He congratulated the Christchurch Committee on its valuable administrative assistance. The work was now on a sound foundation, he said. The most beneficial invention since the Braille system was wireless, and, largely through Mr Holland's efforts, the Government had consented to issue radio licenses free to blind people who were householders. Ultimately, it was hoped to have the privilege extended to all blind people, and substantial concessions arranged for the purchase of receiving sets. He asked all those already owning sets to listen in to the broadcast of a programme from Auckland on December 16th, supplied entirely by blind people. Jubilee Institute. So splendid was the sale of goods sent down from the Jubilee Institute to the Royal Show that not an article had been left. The output had been steadily growing, and wider markets were being sought. Through the generosity of the public the old buildings had been replaced by up-to-date brick structures. The speaker dealt appreciatively with the changed policy of the Christchurch Public Library in procuring Braille works. It would not be very long, he said, before the Dominion would have all the Braille works set up in type. It had been propqscd to set up priifting works at the Institute, but it was felt that the expendiure was not justified. He referred to the work of Miss Campbell in teaching the Braille system and that of Mr Miller in enlisting the assistance of moneyed people. The Institute had its maximum number of inmates, the total being 115. "Our policy is to make the world as good as can be for our people," he concluded "and lighten the burden which has been placed upon you through no fault of your own." A programme of musical itenis was rendered by the following:—Piano selections, Miss Dunlop; harp solos, Miss G. Webster; songs, Miss Agassiz, Mr R. Vincent. Mr A. Macdonald; violin solos, Mr Robert C. Clarke. Mr A. M. Owen, conductor of the M.E.D. Orchestra, was the accompanists