I.H.C. urged to find ways to raise funds

Press, 9 May 1984, Page 23

I.H.C. urged to find ways to raise funds

PA Westport The Society for the Intellectually Handicapped needs to explore new ways of fund-raising and fund-sav-ing, according to its national director, Mr J. B. Munro. Mr Munro told a South Island regional seminar in Westport that this year’s annual appeal was down 9 per cent when it should have been up about 5 per cent to keep pace with inflation. He said the appeal provided only 3 per cent of the society’s required income, compared with 18 per cent in 1967, so the society should explore ways of raising and saving funds. “There are far too many projects the society has been involved in that have

boobed,” he said. Costs associated with the appeal were climbing. Mr Munro told the seminar that the society believed guardianship and legal rights should be in the hands of the Justice Department and the family courts, rather than the I.H.C. Intellectually handicapped adults had the same legal rights as other New Zealanders, but many of them required varying degrees of help in exercising and enjoying these rights. However, there was no provision in law for parents or guardians to do this, he said. The society wanted legislation for all adult New Zealanders, to reflect the fact that some may need temporary or permanent help.

2 He said some decisions affecting intellectually handicapped people were so serious that no-one but the court should make them. These included abortion and sterilisation, prohibiting marriage, approving divorce, or removing parental rights. The society cared for 370 “adult orphans,” many of whom had no family at all, and the number of dependent adults would increase. It wanted a legal framework for the protection and guardianship of these people and was frustrated by the delay in passing the Guardianship for Adults Act. The society will meet the Ministers of Justice and Social Welfare on May 22 to discuss the subject.