HOSTEL FOR BLIND

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27011, 10 April 1953, Page 11

HOSTEL FOR BLIND

NO PROGRESS MADE IN CHRISTCHURCH

REPORT TO ADVISORY COMMITTEE It was regretted that no progress had been made in the direction of establishing a hostel in Christchurch for many elderly blind people who lacked suitable living accommodation and required supervision in their old age, said the chairman (Mr I. D. Wood) at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Advisory Committee to the New Zealand Institute for the Blind. “The urgent need for a hostel cannot be emphasised too strongly,” he said. “TJie committee experiences a constant feeling of frustration in the knowledge that, were a hostel available, so many more needy cases could be assisted and so much worry could be averted.” Probably the most satisfactory feature of the year’s activities had been the number of additional talking bodk machines that had become available, he continued. This had meant hours of gleasurable reading for a number of lind persons. It was confidently expected that in the future very little delay would be experienced in obtaining these machines. The secretary-manager (Mr G. F. C. Ashdowne) said that there had been indisputable proof of the need for a handyman to undertake odd carpentery jobs and incidental repairs for blind people, in that no less than 71 repair jobs nad been completed during the last year. In the mapority of cases blind persons had been trying for months or even years to obtain the help of someone able to do odd jobs. Repairs to window sashes, fences, gates, erection of shelves, small interior painting, erection of sheds, and even the erection of a two-roomed cottage had been among the jobs undertaken. “We are particularly fortunate in having secured the services of a competent man. who is an exceptionally conscientious worker, and who treats all work for the blind agfa first priority,” said Mr Ashdowne. “In the majority of cases all we have had to do has been to advise and make arrangements for our man to undertake the job. Only In a few instances have we been called upon to help with finance.”

Mr Wood was re-elected chairman, and there is no change in the. personnel of the committee. Members of the committee are: Mrs G. Partridge, Misses L. D. Allen. M. Bain. M. Cocks, and N. Enright, and Messrs J. Hollis and A. Robertson.