NATIONAL REUNION OF BLIND SOLDIERS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 12

NATIONAL REUNION OF BLIND SOLDIERS

About 40 blinded servicemen of the two world wars are renewing old friendships at a Dominion reunion of the St. Dunstan’s New Zealand Blinded Servicemen's Association in Christchurch this week. Most of the men are accompanied by their wives as escorts. The triennial reunion has been arranged by the Christchurch section of the association in close co-operation with the Canterbury Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen’s Association, an organisation which takes an active interest in the welfare of blinded servicemen throughout New Zealand. Members of the association have made extensive arrangements to entertain the reunion guests while they are in Christchurch, and the association's club rooms in Lichfield street are being used as headquarters for the reunion.

The president of the Canterbury association (Mr E. J. Townley) welcomed the guests at a reception yesterday morning. This was the first function on a four-day programme. ”We place ourselves entirely at your disposal, and our club is your contact point while you are in Christchurch,” Mr Townley said. Welcome by Town Clerk The Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) apologised for the absence of the Mayor (Mr H. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) and the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. G. Manning), both of whom had prior engagements. "We have always had a proud admiration for the liaison that exists between members of your organisation and the Commercial Travellers’ and Warehousemen’s Association. The fact that you are here as the guests of its members seems to ensure that you will have a good time.” said Mr Feast, when extending a civic welcome to the blinded servicemen and their escorts.

“We rely on the public of New Zealand to give us the funds with which to carry on our work for blinded servicemen, and I want to thank the Christchurch City Council for allowing us to hold a street day to help “f ’’’ sa id Mr E. Brooking, chairman of the Blinded Services’ Trust Fund of the United Commercial Travellers’ Clubs ot New Zealand. He brought greetings to the reunion from the trustees off the fund, and expressed the hope that the guests would have a happy and profitable reunion. The president of the Blinded Servicemen’s Association (Mr J. R. Hines) thanked. Mr Brooking for the wonder-

ful job he and his associates were doing for blinded servicemen. Brigadier J. T. Burrows and Mr »• Coleman, vice-president of the church Returned Servicemen’s AssO’ ciation, attended the reception. Address by Dean ‘You who are sightless can be eyes to the world; you can show us wnaj otherwise we might miss, because we are too busy looking at too much ana mistaking shadows for said the Dean of Christchurch Very Rev. Martin Sullivan) luncheon for members of the Blinaeo Servicemen’s Association. ... The blind saw the real world, wnicn was unseen, and in a measure live® in it, Dean Sullivan said. A marie« this unseen world was achie \ e as represented in the lives of Beethoven and Sir lan Fraser, wno had triumphed fover adversity, an<3 _J“ their weakness found strength. tience, another mark of the world, was enforced on the blind, wn» cultivated the ability to wait. 1D ‘ ward peace came to the mind oi • blind man as ha reflected and ni®®*' tated within himself. This was a big* ing that freed him from distraroj®* Life provided its own compensations for the blind, who learnt that wMJ one door shut another opened, Dg® Sullivan said. “By triumphing their difficulties the blind witness « the indestructibility of the spirit,” he said. “They have snow“ us that they can be useful, creauvand happy members of society, they afford the rest of us the tunny of releasing goodwill, consiae* ation and unselfishness.” Social Evening The Christchurch branch of the N®* Zealand Institute of the Blind eat®* tained the servicemen at a social tion last evening. A visit to a i>u£ Christchurch factory has been ranged for this morning, to be w* lowed by a luncheon and a sc®®" drive this afternoon. A smoke concert will be held by J", Canterbury Commercial Traveliej’ and Warehousemen’s Association gg evening for the men, and their will be entertained at a picture Blinded servicemen attending thejy union will place a wreath on the vjr taph at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow. A eral annual meeting will be held JJ® in the morning, after which reurn guests will be entertained at luncneo by Mr and Mrs J. W. N. Mclnw 3 "; An official dinner and dance will held at the Mayfair Lounge in evening, and a picnic has been ranged for Sunday.