CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Grey River Argus, 3 August 1940, Page 10

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Work of N.Z. Society

CHRISTCHURCH MEETING

CHRISTCHURCH, July 2.

“Experience has taught us that the important thing is early registration. Early registration means early treatment, and that is most important, said Mrs Cecil Wood, who presided at the annual meeting of the Canterbury and Westland branch of tne New Zealand Crippled Children Society. Reviewing th e year, Mrs Wood saia that the large increase in the membership showed that mor.e people were interesting themselves in the work of the society. An increasing amount of work was being done m conjunction with existing organisations such as hospital boards am. youth centres, and year by year ihm work became more important. “We could not have corppleted our work for - crippled children without the help of those employers who have rnaae room on their staffs for our children. ’ said Mrs Wood. Mr L. G. K. Steven explained tno accounts of the society, and said that during the year the funds had increased by about £l5OO. Of this increase, £BOO was due to a legacy H om the estate of Mr Harvey Taylor, who was quite unknown to the society. »•- was, therefore a very pleasant surprise to find that th e residue of hsj estate had been left to the society. That was the first legacy the society had received, .though it was known that a number of other generous persons had made provision in their wills for legacies. Grants from the Lora Nuffield trust and from art union proceeds had also been substantial sources of revenue.

One of the comforting features or the year was the increase of about 300 in the membership of the society. That showed that the good work being done by members was resulting m tne work of the organisation becoming more widely known. The branch was now, next to Dunedin, the largest in the Dominion.

The society’s welfare officer, Mrs W. Mackay, who gave a short address on the work of the year, said that tile motive that should actuate the society was to help cripples to live rnore courageously. It was not a kindness to give help that left the recipient spiritually weaker. Throughout tne community now the barriers were down, and increased sympathy with the unfortunate members of ths community was making her work easier. “The adult cripple is more and moi- e finding his way into said Mackay. "When they are in office, they go somewhat beyond our scope as a society interested in children but there is no reason why we should not, keep up our interest in them, as infact we do. In the last 12 months, i have met most of our children, ana I have formed the greatest admiretion for the courageous way thijy facelife. I have yet to meet a disgruntlea crippled child. “I must say a word for th e parents. There is often a heavy heart behina a bright smile, but most of them are to-day realising that with the assistance of a specialist a great deal can be done. If the problem is approacheo in the right spirit, the success of u cure is almost assured.”

Mrs Mackay gave a number of instances in which grave disabilities had been overcome successfully, but saia that there was need for definite help in most cases in the matter of vocational training. Nearly all cripplea children could, with proper and careful training, take their full place in society as workers. Businessmen were realising that money spent through the society was a good investment, because it prevented crippled children from becoming a charge on the community as a whole, or on the family. The following officers were elected: —President, Dr. J. Leslie Will; vice-presidents, Mrs Cecil Wood, Messrs J. R. McKenzie, and L. G. K. Steven; committee, Mesdames A. W. Browne, J. H. Coddington, W. J. Green A. E. G. Lyttle, A. Morten, Sister J. N. Erwin, Misses E. M. J. Cardare, M. Mor.ten, M. McLean and G. E. Robinson, Bishop Brodie, Dr. D. E. Hansen, Messrs A. E. Adams, F. W, Anderson, G. H. Anderson, J. S. Barnett, W J. Cartwright, E. Edridge, C. J. Grav C. S. Hammond, A. G. Henderson ’h. F Herbert, W. F. KentJohnston, M. Keys, H. Lightbana, J. Mawon Stewart, and F. Thompson; honorary auditor, Mr H. R. Best; honorary solicitor, Mr R. L. Ronaldson-