CIVILIAN AMPUTEES
TRAMWAY PASSES SOUGHT
A deputation from, the Wellington Provincial District Civilian Amputees' Association requested the City Council yesterday to grant free tramway passes for financial members of the association.
A member of the deputation, Mr. P. L. Smith, said that in the past civilian amputees had been' rather left out of things. As far as the deputation knew there was no provision under the Social Security Scheme for even the partial reimbursement for the cost of, or cost of repairs to, artificial limbs. The cost of artificial limbs and repairs to them made serious inroads in amputees' incomes. Mr. Smith said that the cost of an articulated artificial leg was £35 and of a wooden leg £29. WEAR AND TEAR. The wear and tear on artificial limbs was not so great in the case of the office worker as in that of a factory worker. He was fortunate in having two artificial legs, the one he was wearing and a "peg leg." One of ! the principal troubles was the wear on clothing through the straps of the leg. There were also repairs to the legs ■ themselves. It cost him from £12 to £15 a year to keep his limbs in repair. He had to go to the limb factory every four or five months for alterations or additions. Previous to getting a "peg leg" he lost two or three days' pay as well as the cost of having repairs done to the other leg. He understood that there was no provision under the Compensation Act for damage done to artificial legs in a factory. Mr. Smith said that there were 114 amputees in Wellington. He was of the opinion that his association should become a permanent body. Membership was dependent on having lost an arm or a leg. Assured by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, of the council's sympathy with the amputees, the deputation was informed that a special committee would be appointed to go into the matter and report to the council. The matter of ; free transport was referred to the Tramways Committee for mvestigation and report.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 32, 8 February 1944, Page 6
Word Count
352CIVILIAN AMPUTEES Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 32, 8 February 1944, Page 6
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