FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 21974, 9 March 1935, Page 12

FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR’S SPLENDID GIFT LORD NUFFIELD ADDS *IO,OOO TO FORMER DONATION APPEAL pea DOMINION-WOE FOND (Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 8. The greatest enthusiasm greeted the announcement at a luncheon to Lord Nuffield of two further splendid gifts for the relief of crippled children. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr G. W. Hutchison) made known that Mr and Mrs \V. R. Wilson had offered to present their home, “ St. Leonards,” Takapuna, with its thirteen acres of ground, for a crippled children’s home, subject to the creation of an endowment- Lord Nuffield thereupon announced that he would supplement his previous gift of £SO,OOCLby a further £IO,OOO to form the nucleus of a dominion endowment fund (Mr Wilson in part proprietor of the ‘New Zealand Herald’). “ I can sense in the community a desire to' show Nord Nuffield that his magnificent gift is appreciated, and to show it in practical form,” said Mr Hutchison. “ I therefore intend to open a list so that members of the public may lie able to express their thankfulness for Lord Nuffield’s generous gift. I do not know what is proposed in other centres, but I am encouraged to do this by representations that have already been made to me. Yesterday a gentleman called upon me, and said he and his wife had been deeply touched by Lord Nuffield’s generosity and by what Dr Bernard Myers had said in an address to the Rotary* Club about the efforts being made in London for the after-care of crippled children, in garden homes. He told me that he had discussed the matter with his wife, and they had decided to offer, subject to the raising of the necessary endowment fund for its upkeep, the gift of their home for such purpose.” (Loud applause.) “ This may not perhaps seem a great thing,” continued the mayor, “ffiut when I tell you the property is none other than the beautiful old home of Mr and Mrs W. R. Wilson at Takapuna you will realise ” The remainder of the sentence was drowned in prolonged applause. “ It must Lave required considerable thought even to decide to make such a wonderful gift,” said Mr Hutchison when he was allowed to resume. “It means that two people who have arrived at the stage in life when they would naturally desire .to live quietly in their beautiful home will walli out of it. When you think of that you will realise the greatness of the gift that is offered. I know that you and the citizens generally will make it possible for us to accept the offer. The endowment that is stipulated is not a large sum, merely enough to ensure that when the property passes out of the owners’ possession it will not be allowed to deteriorate or bo used for other purposes than that for which it was given.” Lord Nuffield, in His subsequent speech, took an early opportunity to remark upon the offer. “I am quite overwhelmed by the charity of Mr and Mrs Wilson,” he said. “It is remarkable that these two people should be prepared to walk out of one of the most beautiful homes in the world. The size does not matter. After living there, as I presume, for many years their heart- 5 must have been stirred by what has been done, but they could not have been stirred by anything better. The cause of the crippled children has now become a national matter, and there is talk of endowments. Since Mr and Mrs WiL son have been so generous, I should like to make the offer of £IO,OOO to start an endowment fund for the whole of New Zealand.” Lord Nuffield’s announcement, which was made almost with diffidence, was received with more loud applause. “ The mayor has made a fine gesture in proposing that Auckland should be the first to raise a fund,” continued Lord Nuffield. “ Might I suggest that all the mavors of the North and south Islands should do the same? I shall then have the feelin'g that at any rate in some way I have started a very great work in this country.” , Later Lord Nuffield remarked that the mayor and Mr C. J. B. Norwood would probably agree with him that the funds raised in Auckland should be thrown into the national scheme. In this way far more would be aphieved than by standing - alone. It might be that the children would have to be passed from one hospital or home to another in order that the very best might be done-for them. The principle should be, “ Unity is strength. He was sure that Mr and Mrs Wilson would agree with this.

* APPEAL TO MAYORS AUCKLAND, March 8. Following; the announcement by the Mayor of Auckland that he intends to open a subscription list for the dominion crippled children’s fund, Mr C. J B Norwood, who has been entrusted by Lord Nuffield with the control of the funds presented by him for the benefit of the crippled children in New Zealand, sent the following, telegram to the mayors of all the cities and towns in New Zealand:— “ Lord Nuffield in a speech to-day at Auckland hoped that all mayors would open a fund to supplement his national gift of £60,000 towards the crippled children. Will you agree? Press support assured.” DONOR EMBARRASSED BY RECEPTION Lord Nuffield was the guest of honour at a civic reception and luncheon in Auckland to-day. He cancelled his passage by the Monowai to Sydney in the afternoon, and is to leave to-morrow by the Mariposa for Suva. His itinerary thereafter is at present indefinite. Originally, he had intended to leave Sydney next Wednesday by the Orontes for London. ' Speaking at the luncheon, Dr Bernard Myers, referring to Lord Nuffield’s gift, said that New Zealand would bo able to emulate the best British methods in the care and treatment of crippled children. “ I rise with a certain amount of embarrassment,” Lord Nuffield said in reply. “ I simply tried to do what 1 could for the crippled children of this country, and I have been overwhelmed with such kindness and affection that I hardly know what to say.” Mr*Norwood, )ie added, had been responsible to a great extent for his donation by putting the thought/ into his mind.