Business Venture For Physically Disabled

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30366, 15 February 1964, Page 15

Business Venture For Physically Disabled

A business venture for physically-disabled, persons, Abilities Incorporated, Christchurch, is to be started under the sponsorshp of the Papanui Rotary Club. It is the first in the South Island. There is one other in Takapuna, Abilities Inc., North Shore. One of its directors, Lieutenant Peter Mulgrew, of the' Royal New Zealand Navy, will be in Christchurch on February 27 to launch the project. He will present a cheque for £5O from his association. The president of the Papanui Rotary Club (Mr J. L. Wood) said, last evening that it was a business venture. There would be no question of charity. The 1200 sq. ft. factory, which would give initial employment to six men, would be built by a club member bn his own land ait Papanui. He would lease the building which would have provision

for expansion for Abilities Inc. At least £l5OO would be necessary . to build special fixtures, said Mr Wood. “One of the problems is that benches have to be tailored to fit around tile different types of wheelchairs. The work will be done by club members,” he said. He outlined three methods of raising the money:— By an annual membership of £2 2s, second, by life membership of £25, third, by interest-free loans. Construction work on the factory was expected to start towards the end of the month, sad Mr Wood. Three to five months later it should be ready for business. The work done would be assembling work from local factories and businesses. It would be tendered for and done at Contract rates. “Every man at the factory must be able to work competitively,” said Mr Wood. No Conflict Mr Wood emphasised Abilities, Christchurch, would not conflict with the Sheltered Workshop and kindred organisations. “No tenders will be made for work done by these organisations,” he said. Provision would be made later for. women workers, he said. For an initial-period of three months workers would remain on their pension and earn the allowable amount. At the end of .this time they could- decide if they wanted to give up their pensions and earn what they were worth. In Auckland workers who had done this were earning almost award rates, said Mr Wood.

It Would be entirely up to the workers whether or not they stayed on a pension, he added.