Conference for the disabled

Press, 28 October 1977, Page 4

Conference for the disabled

The architect of the bill which eventually became the Disabled Persons Community Welfare Act, 1975, Mr J. B. Munro, a former member of Parliament for Invercargill, will be the speaker at a special seminar for the disabled in Christchurch on Saturday.

Mr Munro has agreed to act as the speaker to initiate the seminar in place of the former Mayoress of Christchurch, Mrs Alexia Pickering, who cannot travel to Christchurch because of illness.

The seminar at Bumside High School is being sponsored by the Christchurch Co-ordinating Council for the Handicapped.

It will be the first of several over the next 12 months designed to ensure that disabled persons themselves have a direct say in provisions being planned for them by local voluntary and State authorities.

Mr Munro has been closely involved with welfare work for disabled persons for more than 15 years, and as

architect of what was in 1974 a private member’s bill to assist the disabled citizens of New Zealand, he formed strong links with Mr Alfred Morris, the British Minister for the Disabled. Mr Morris had also been instrumental in getting the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons’ Act (1970) passed in Britain.

When the Labour Government passed the Disabled Persons’ Community Welfare Act in 1975 it established for the first time a piece of legislation which could give new hope to more than 100,000 New Zealanders who are disabled, said the publicity officer for the disabled persons’ seminar, Ms Wendy Bryant, yesterday.

“We are indeed fortunate that Mr Munro has been able to come to address us at such short notice, and we know he will readily understand our wish to ensure that disabled persons are given a much better deal from New Zealand society than they are now getting.