WORK FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21906, 6 October 1936, Page 5

WORK FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

DR. J. L. WILL’S APPEAL

A strong plea for the support of the Christchurch Business Men’s Club in the activities of the Crippled Children Society was made at a luncheon of the club yesterday by Dr. J. Leslie Will. It was felt, he said, that every member of the community should have an equal chance; if he had a good brain he should not be allowed to suffer because of a physical disability. It was the aim of the society that every cripple should be self-support-ing at the age of 21. Otherwise the cripple was a drag on the community, and had tct be paid for in rates and taxes,, He himself disagreed with the theory that everyone had a right to live. He had . the right only as a member of the community, and he should serve the community. It was a duty to train the cripple so that he could do this. _ Very little had been done in the past, apart from giving cripples the benefit of surgery and hospital treatment. When the society took up its work a year ago it had no Idea of -the extent of what had to be done. There were 100 cripples in Canterbury and the West Coast Very often the parents of the most deserving cases were those who were least ready to ask for assistance. * Dr. Will Suggested various ways in which the club might help. Members could join the society, or the club could adopt a number of crippled children. Another plan would be to arrange some function to raise funds each year. Mr D. V, Wilson, the retiring president, who was in the chair, said that plans for helping the society in its work would be laid before the next meeting. ■ '•