Unrestricted Imports Of Artificial Limbs Wanted

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30711, 29 March 1965, Page 16

Unrestricted Imports Of Artificial Limbs Wanted

The Dominion council of the New Zealand Civilian Amputees’ Association is to press for the lifting of import restrictions on components for artificial limbs and sales tax and import duty on cars for amputees.

This was decided at a council meeting in Christchurch on Saturday. The secretary. Mr J. Moulder. said although the Minister of Customs about four years ago had said the association would have no trouble bringing in the parts, difficulties and hold-ups still occurred. He would be surprised if there was any other case which had as much justification for exemption. No parts were made in New Zealand. They had no resale value and were essential to the mobility of amputees. Each year parts worth £7OOO to £BOOO were needed, said Mr Moulder. The council agreed to approach the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) on the issue of free wheelchairs, and the abolition of the means test. The council felt it was illogical for an. amputee who was able to wear artificial limbs to get them free. For example if an amputee required two limbs and was able to work, he was provided with four—two duplicated —at the best part of £350. These eventually w r ore out and needed replacements. A wheelchair cost about £4O and lasted many years. The council agreed that amputees confined to chairs should get greater consideration. Training Facilities Amputees were faced with makeshift training facilities at limb centres, the council agreed. Training in the use of flew

limbs was also thought inadequate. The meeting agreed to ask the limb advisory committees in each centre to take the matter up with the Government. Mr Moulder said the limb factory management committee of the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League administered the limb centres throughout the country. A report from orthopaedic surgeons emphasises the need for better training and facilities had been brushed aside by the committee. “Many of the officials concerned are not amputees. They have no conception of the physical and psychological factors involved. This association is in the best postiion to appreciate the needs of amputees and is qualified to speak for them. Yet no notice is taken of its requests,” said Mr Moulder. Mr Moulder gave Wellington’s limb centre as an example of make-shift facilities. The centre had an ill-designed outside ramp useless in rain, and some “fire-escape” steps also useless, he said. A certain amount of physiotherapy was given, but it was not enough.

There were surgeons and Government representatives on the limb advisory committees. If they would take up the matter with the Government, some progress might be achieved, he said. The council agreed on this course. Support Promised A promise of his support to the association’s needs was given by Mr H. J. Walker, M.P., when he addressed the meeting. Mr Walker said he had never been approached by the association for his support, but he would be right behind it if he were asked. Successive governments had recognised the need to give support to the disabled. Mr Walker said he felt disabled people must not be put in the position where they felt they were accepting charity. They should receive compensation so they could be on equal terms with the rest of the community and also take their place in it. Speaking on the need for research, Mr Walker said until limbs could be produced that had the same sensitivity as real limbs, research would have to go on. Mr N. E. Kirk, M.P., said the association had been formed in a period when the special needs of its members were over-shadowed by the war disabled. The association had provided a medium for

people to get together to advance the needs of civilian amputees. To some degree the 19 years the association had been in existence was a pioneering period and the base which would make life better for amputees of the future. Mr Kirk said he could never understand why it wa» feasible to provide crutches for those who could use then) and not chairs for those who could not. This was an inconsistency, one was a substitute for the other. The conference was opened by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning), who welcomed delegates to the city, and said it was only by being members of an organisation that the individual in a democratic society would achieve any progress. In reply to the speakers, the Dominion president, Mr F. S. Trottnan agreed with Mr Manning and said it was hard as a body to make progress. It would be impossible for an individual. He told Mr Walker the association would be taking advantage of his offer of support.