Free insurance for handicapped girl

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32783, 7 December 1971, Page 6

Free insurance for handicapped girl

(From Our Own Reporter)TIMARU, December 6. Miss Sally .Wilson, formerly of Waimate, and now living in Timaru where she is a pupil at Mercy College, does not have the use of her legs and one arm. Next year, however, she is likely to be driving her own car—a 1300 c.c., automatic model, the steering, acceleration and braking of which are controlled through a joystick.

Converted by Mr H. M. Webb, a Christchurch engineer, the vehicle was purchased by the South Canterbury branch of the Crippled Children Society. Miss Wilson, who is 15, will spend the school holidays in Christchurch, where she will learn to drive the car.

She passed the theory examination with flying colours. The society bought the car to enable Miss Wilson to get to and from school and even-

tually to enable her to gain employment. ' The S.I.M.U. Mutual Insurance Association has insured the vehicle free for as long as Miss Wilson owns it, and the Automobile Association (South Canterbury) has offered her free membership. The Timaru manager of the S.I.M.U. (Mr T. Sutron) said the offer of free insurance was made as soon as he read an article in “The Press” relating to the conversion of the car. The car was purchased in November, 1970, at a cost of $2911. The estimated cost of conversion is between $9OO and $lOOO. A rebate of $5O was made by the Waimate firm supplying file vehicle, and a donation of $lOO has been made by the Hally Trust. An approach has been made to service clubs and allied organisations in Waimate, and/ the society is hopeful that Timaru clubs, organisations and individuals might be interested in assisting.