NEED FOR CARE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1935, Page 12

NEED FOR CARE

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

WOEK OF SOCIETY

PREPARING FOR ACTION

For the purpose of reaching decisions regarding the future activities of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society, delegates from branches throughout the Dominion met in Wellington today for the first conference of the society. Representatives were present from branches in Auckland (including Hamilton, Hotorua, and Whanfiarei), Christchurch, ' Dannevirke, Dunedin, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay (Hastings and Napier), Hawera, Masterton, Marlborough, Manawatu, Nelson, New Plymouth, No(;th Otago, Southland (Invercargill and Gore), South Canterbury, Wanganui, and Wellington. His Honour Mr. Justice Smith was elected the first president of the society. The chairman of the provisional committee (Mr. F. Campbell) welcomed the delegates and outlined what had ledl up to the conference. It would be remembered, he said, that the Rotary Conference in Timaru last February had decided to proceed with the formation of branches in the Dominion and also the formation of a New Zealand body. Sixteen branches had been formed, and another would be formed in a few days. "Acting on the honorary solicitors' advice, the New Zealand body was incorporated first; this was done by obtaining signatures of members up to the number required by statute —these members forming the first council. We then appointed a provisional committee, consisting of Rotarians H. E. Anderson, F. Bowerbank, Alex Gillies, J. M. A/Ilott, A. F. Roberts, and Campbell Spratt, of which committee I have acted as chairman, and which has up to the present carried out the preliminary work in connection with societies' activities in New Zealand." WORK OF COMMITTEES. The work of this committee had been mainly of a temporary nature. It was present at the conference to assist if required; the members had no vote unless they had been elected delegates. Mr. Campbell said that as chairman of the provisional committee, he would move the resolutions, and it would be left to the meeting to decide what was done with them. Some permanent work, however, had to be carried out. The first was the forming of the Nuffield Trust to take over the magnificent gift pf Lord Nuffleld. After consultation with Mr. C. J. B. Norwood, the following gentlemen consented to act as trustees: the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) Sir James Grose, Sir Donald McGavin, and Messrs. C. J. B. Norwood and J. M. A. Ilott; and the deed of trusteeship was drawn up and signed. They also approached her' Excellency Viscountess Galway to become patroness, to which she gladly consented,'and asked his Honour Mr. Justice Smith to become the first New Zealand president; he, too, showed himself keenly interested in the work. ."There may be some here today who think we might have been making a greater appeal for funds then we have been doing. The provisional committee, however, felt that until a survey of the work had been made it was difficult to know just what funds would be required," said Mr. Campbell. "Again the appeals just now for the relief of distress must take priority over such movements as ours; then the Jubilee appeal for the cancer fund made another call on the public, and made further appeal impossible. I am quite sure that when we can tell the public the work there is to be done for the -crippled child and tell them what money we require it will be forthcoming. First of all let us find out how much we need. "One other point I would like to impress on delegates is to avoid raising false hopes among the cripples by promising more than can be carried out. When one gets down to details with some of these cases one finds the expense soon mounts up and branches will have to be very careful what obligations, particularly recurring ones, it enters into." PRESIDENT ELECTED. \ His-Honour Mr. Justice Smith was elected president without opposition. Thanking the " delegates, for electing him, he said he would do all that he could.,for the society. The inauguration of the society was due to the Rotary clubs, and was a striking example of the good the clubs could do. Crippled children were the wastage of peace. The nation honoured its war cripples, and it was gratifying to know that much was also done for the cripples of peace. The hospital boards provided treatment for them and the Education Department gave them education by correspondence. Although the society iiad been formed it ' must not be thought that the community in general had not cared for them. The work of the society would be to find the children who needed treatment. Over 90 per cent, of the crippled children were not born that way and their trouble could be prevented or cured. Then there was need for vocational guidance. Cripples had been seen in the past playing musical instruments in the streets, and it should be the aim of the society to remove, the need for that sort of thing. It was agreed that the general aim and policy of the society should be directed towards ascertaining the needs of crippled children in New Zealand,, and in devising ways and means of ameliorating their position in the treatment of the disability (medical, curative, or otherwise); in educational, and vocational training; in finding suitable avenues of employment; in removing any existing bars to employment of cripples; and generally in showing a friendly care and personal interest in every way possible in the condition and circumstances of all crippled children and their future. CRIPPLED CHILD DEFINED. Mr. Campbejl moved:— "That this meeting confirms the definition of a 'crippled child,' viz., 'A crippled child is a child under 21 years of age who, not being mentally defective, has a defect which causes a deformity or an interference with normal functions of the bones, muscles, or joints; a malformed child; the defective condition may be congenital or it may be due to disease or accident; It may be aggravated by disease, by neglect, or by ignorance." Mr. J. M. A, Ilott said the position of mentally-defective children had been considered and while something should be done for them, it was felt that the society should concentrate on physically crippled children in the meantime. Mr. W. L. Free (Masterton) supported Mr. Ilott, and said that the society should be careful not to burden itself with work for which it had no funds. Other delegates supported the definition submitted, and suggested that modifications or additions could be made later if necessary. Mr. C. J. B. Norwood asked if a child born, with a cleft palate and hare lip would come under the definition. A child born in such a way .was seriously handicapped, and as

such a defect was curable the indigent child should be permitted the assistance of the society. Dr. A. Gillies said the definition before the conference would include such cases. A sub-committee was set up to consider the definition and report to the conference this afternoon. It was agreed that the boundaries of hospital districts should be used as much as possible as the boundaries of the branch districts. The means and methods by which the society should work were agreed to without discussion, the following resolution being adopted:— "That the work of the society be carried on by means of the closest cooperation with the Government health and educational authorities, hospital and educational boards, and with all other kindred agencies or organisations engaged similarly in social and welfare work in the community; and that the society should not undertake work that is already being done by another organisation; where such work I may be required for cripples the society is to endeavour to have it done by the existing organisation already engaged in the work." The conference is being continued this afternoon.