CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 12, 14 July 1943, Page 5

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

WELLINGTON BRANCH

The annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society was held last night, the president, Mr. L. T. Watkins, presiding.

From seven years' experience, said Mr. Watkins, 100 new cases came into the branch each year, but the disability which offered more opportunities for action than others was infantile paralysis. Surveying the future, he spoke of the possible epidemic side of this disease. It could do much damage in a short time, and cover a large section of the community. Because it could be spread by contact, its prevention should be studied.

The society's welfare work was its finest. It was the first to introduce women welfare officers, with their personal touch on each case. Mrs. Campbell Spratt had done wonderful work. He stressed the value of education, vocational and otherwise, for cripples. All income was put aside for some special purpose or spent on the children. There would always be cripples. What New Zealand had done already was remarkable. One should remember the isolation and want of companionship suffered by cripples.. They were without playmates, and all that could be done in occupational therapy for them should be done.

Thanking the orthopaedic staff of the Wellington Hospital, Mr. E. W. Hunt said that were it not for their president and Dr. A. Gillies, they could not have done what they had, while the executive had helped. They had indeed sailed close to the wind, but during the year they had spent £1500 on cripples. It must be remembered that they would not be granted another street day for possibly over three years, and the proceeds of the street day should be spread over that period. They drew only their share of the interest on the Nuflield Trust, only income from which could be spent, and it had to be divided between 17 crippled children's societies in New Zealand.

The annual report (already published) was adopted. With the ekception of the addition of Mrs. P. T'raser to the vice-presi-dents, and Sister Menzies to the general committee, all officers were elected.