CRIPPLED CHILDREN SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 282, 23 August 1940, Page 11

CRIPPLED CHILDREN SOCIETY

Conference In Wellington

OPENING BY LADY

GALWAY

The annual conference of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society was opened in Wellington yesterday by Lady Galway, patroness of the society. Mr. Frank Campbell, chairman ot the executive, presided, and delegates weic present from the 17 branches of the society. , , , In welcoming Lady Galway, Mt. Campbell said that the society, ot winch her Excellency had been patroness since her arrival in New Zealand, was gratified at the keen interest taken by Lady Galway in its work. It was the third time she had opened the conference, said Lady Galway, ami she was pleased to say a word of encouragement and endorsement for such a worthy cause. “In a world torn by war as ours is today,” said her Excellency, “it is rather more difficult to keep good causes like this in the public eye, because, naturally, causes connected wit i the war effort will be, for the moment at any rate, in the forefront. It is necessary, however, to retain a sense o proportion.” The present war would decide whether liberty ami freedom would triumph or whether the British people would become slaves of Germany and live under the shadow of the secret police and concentration camps. It was necessary to keep the flag fly in ® in such worthy causes as the work ot the society. Widening Scope of Work. Congratulating the society on its work during the past year, Lady Galway said she had noted with gteat interest in the annual report that in the last three years the number of Children helped lm£l increased from l-iuu to 2193. There wore probably another 1900 children still to be located. ’The conference spent most of the morning discussing proposed amendments to the rules of the society, and Mr W. G. Black (Palmerston North), chairman of the special sub-committee which framed the proposed new rules, took the chair. , The following cable was received from Sir Charles Norwood, president of the society, who is at present in Australia: “Please convey to delegates at conference my sincere apologies and disappointment that I am not with them today. Have just completed extensive visit to Frankston orthopaedic hospital, Melbourne. Greatly impressed with curative treatment ami vocational training. I trust the conference deliberations will be fruitful ot much that will be helpful io these unfortunate people in our country.” A Successful Year. •The society had- had quite a successful year, the credit for which should go almost entirely to the branches which did the real work of the society up and down the country, said the president, in moving the adoption ot the annual report. The year bird shown a further increase iu cases some <99 new cases had 'been discovered and that number was steadily growing. Ibat seemed to prove that in the early days of the society the discovery ot cases had not been anything like complete. , The appointment of welfare officers had been most helpful. They gave a service to the crippled child and the parents which should be considered by I lie brandies more in the nature or treatment than of an overhead expense. Another growing activity was I he boys and girls’ clubs, ami thanks weie due to the Toe H. authorities for thenassistance. .. ■Seconding the motion, Dr. Leslie M m (Canterbury and Westland) referred ■to the. keen interest taken in all branches by the Dominion executive particularly Mr. Campbell, lie had been, interested, he said, to read in. tie report how the work of the society was tending to alter. With the exception of discovery of cases, which was always important, the whole attitude seemed to have changed from treatment to rehabilitation, welfare work and employment. Those were now the. mam functions of the society. Election of Officers. The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year resulted: Patroness, Lady Galway; vice-presidents, the Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand, the Moderatoi of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, the. Roman Catholic Archbishop of New Zealand, the president of the New Zealand Conference ■of’ the Methodist Church, the Commissioner of the Salvation Army, the presidents of the B.M.A. Red Cross Society, Plunket Society, Women’s Division of the Farmers Union, the Women’s Institute, Sir Alexander Roberts, Sir Robert Anderson (Invercargill). Dr. .Stanley Wallis (Rotorua), Dr. H. D. Robertson (Man»anui), Dr. D. fi. Wylie (Palmerston North), Dr. Alexander Gillies, Dr. 1-1. P. Pickeriß, Messrs. G. L. Taylor ( Auckland), W. R. Wilson (Auckland), T. 11. Lowry (Napier), Frank Campbell, J. M. A. Hott, F. C. Spratt, L. 1. Watkins, W. T. Churchwood (Blenheim), 'l'. Neale (Nelson), J. K - McKenzie (Christchurch), F. Mitchell (Dunedin), V. iS. Jacobs (Dunedin), Mesdames W. R. Wilson (Auckland), T. C. List (New Plymouth), and Knox Gilmer; executive, Sir Alexander Roberts, Dr. F. 1. Bowerbank, Dr. Alexander Messrs. Frank Campbell, J. M. A. Hott, B. R. Dobbs (Wanganui), W. G. Black (Palmerston North), S. L. P. Fre (Masterton), Malcolm Fraser and J. K. Edie (associate member); bon. solicitors, Messrs. F. Campbell Spratt and 11. Taylor; bon. treasurer, Mr. Ernest W. Hunt; hon. auditor, Mr. W. H. Nankervis; secretary, Mr. C. Meacnen.