CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 May 1935, Page 7

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

PUBLIC SYMPATHY AROUSED SUPPORT OF NATIONAL EFFORT ORGANISATION IN SOUTH TARANAKI. Support of the national movement sponsored by the. Rotary Clubs of the Dominion to aid crippled children was forthcoming at a well attended publicmeeting in Hawera last night, when it was decided to form a South Taranaki branch of tho New Zealand Crippled Children's Society, with auxiliary committees at Stratford, Eltham, Ivaponga, Manaia and Patea. The residential, religious, educational, medical, commercial and farming sections of the. community were represented, while apologies for unavoidable absence were received from a large number of wellwishers, all of whom commended the movement, and conveyed their best wishes for the successful inauguration of a branch.

“It is'very gratifying indeed to find such a large and representative gathering as this desirous of expressing its sympathy and practical assistance in support of a movement for the welfare of our crippled children,” said the Mayor (Mr J. E. Campbell), who presided. For many months past the Rotary Clubs of New Zealand had had in hand the task, of launching a national scheme and its object had been achieved perhaps somewhat sooner than anticipated by the magnificent gifts of. Lord Nuffield. -Mr. Campbell paid a tribute to the great personal interest which had been manifested by the late Mr T. C. List, District Governor of Rotary, who, at the time of his death, was on the point of completing all the details of organisation. Lord Nuffield’s visit and his generosity had given a remarkable fillip to the movement, which had been taken up by a special committee of Rotarians following Mr List’s death, and in response to Lord Nuffield’s request the Mayors in each municipality had opened public subscription lists. A fund bad been subscriber! by Hawera district residents. and that money was being held in trust. There was an assurance that a definite need did exist in- the Dominion for a community effort on behalf of the crippled children and the. public in its sympathy had displayed, the keenest desire to assist.

SOCIETY'S AIMS AND OBJECTS. As- president of the Hawera Rotary dnb -and convener of, the meeting, Mr E. \AV.Horner, echoed the sentiments of, the-. Mayor in expressing, his pleasure ,at the; large gathering. It was a clear indication, he said, of the sympathy of the people and its. desire that such a. movement should prosper and iachieve its humane objective. ‘‘ln the matter of social legislation New Zealand; has. taken a very active lead, particularly where it concerns child welfare, ’ ’'. the speaker- continued. “It is famed the world over for its splendid Plunket system, hut I am sorry to say that where crippled children are concerned it lags behind other countries, notably the United States of America, and closer to our own shores, Australia, where societies have ■been engaged for many years in the work of seeking for those afflicted and bringing them within the reach of medical and surgical aid. In launching such a movement in New Zealand we have-the benefit of the experience gained by those other countries

FIVE THOUSAND KNOWN CASES

:In New Zealand,. the records- were necessarily incomplete and Avere compiled from. Government records, which indicated only those Avho Avere in receipt of assistance from the State. There were, it-.was known, others Avho did not ,appear in such records, but .whose need was. none less great. The total number oi cripples on record avus not fewer, than SCXX) and this increased at the rate of about 500 each year. The problem Avas one of not how to deal Avith those contacted, but how to locate cases Avhich did not appear on the records. > Undoubtedly the number was large and many, if atteuded early, Avere curable. The saddest aspect was that many children, owing to the ignorance of parents, . might- not be brought into touch with surgical and medical aid until too late to effect a physical cure.

Mr Horner macTe.it clear tliat- the society did not intend to undertake that work which the Government had accepted already as its responsibility. WORK OF THE STATE. Whilst the Government was carrying out, through the public hospitals, most valuable work, there was an urgent need for a link between the parents or guardians of crippled children and the Government departments offering medical assistance. At present through the Department of Health, and the Department of Education, excellent facilities were available. The main obstruction to the work, however, lay in the fact that many cripples were unable to avail, themselves of this help, cither for financial reasons or because of transport difficulties. Hospital boards also were doing all thatjay in their power to link sufferers w ith the assistance they needed .and which was available at a very high standa rd.

“Malformation at birth, accident and tuberculosis are the three main causes of crippling,” continued Mr Horner. “Imagine a child afflicted l\v any one of those causes in a backward home, reared ill an d lino sphere of self-consciousness with the family embarrassed. The child must grow up feeling that it is not a normal member of society. A sound and healthily developed mind is normal even in a tragically crippled body, and therefore a weight of responsibility is placed on the community to see that every crippled child has the best chance, possible for a natural and happy life. PARENTAL UNDERSTANDTNG. “The object of the society is to bring to the child and to its parents a true understanding of the adequacy with which its needs arc being supplied and to break down or remove the in-, reriorit.v complex, or introversion of mind which would otherwise prevent the child from taking its rightful place

I m the community. In other words, to prevent the crippled child from being crippled mentally and morally. A further object is to assure to each crippled child not only vocational training as will fit. it, but also to promote such an attitude on the part of employers as will bring suitable employment—on a sound economic basis—within the reach of every crippled child.” Here the speaker mentioned that under present conditions it was impossible for a cripple to obtain employment in the Government civil service or by any local body. It was the intention of the society to take steps in an endeavour to have this restriction removed so that the Government might give a lead in facilitating employment. The. movement was no new thing, said .Mr. Horner. It had its origin in the inspiring addresses given to Rotary during the past three or four years by one of New Zealand’s leading orthopaedists, Dr Alex- Gillies, and the late Mr List made it his main objective during his term of office as District Governor. Lord Nuffield’s contributions and tho gift of the Wilson home at Taka puna, had hastened it into actual being. The nucleus had been formed of a national fund to be devoted mainly to - the establishment of a vocational training centre in one of the principal cities. It was intended that every crippled 1 child, within the necessity limits of. his disability, was placed on an equality with more fortunate children in the matter of an economic vocation, pursued in that indepent, fearless and self reliant attitude of mind that was essential for the full realisation of citizenship with all its privileges and responsibilities.

CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION. The society was not a branch of the Rotary movement. Once the society and its constituent branches were established the society would assumo an independent administration capacity, its objects being to. awaken the consciousness of the community, seek out cases that require attention, provide transport and other assistance to facilitate treatment, promote vocational training , and to. provide and maintain an after-treatment contact and personal interest. In concluding his address Mr Horner said that he was more than pleased, with the splendid response already promised the movement and he felt sure that an active branch would be formed in this district.

CASES IN SOUTH TARANAKI

Speaking more intimately of the medical aspect of the work and its benefit from a practical standpoint Dr W.tF.: Buist said that too often, owing to ignorance, embarrassment or neglect, afflicted children were not brought into touch with surgical and medical aid until too late to effect a physical cure. The earlier a child was brought along for corrective treatment and the use of appliances to maintain correction the greater were the chances of success. ‘‘You may think that I exaggerate when I say that some parents have the inclination to ‘hide away’ a crippled child but that is not so,” the speaker continued. “The object of the society is to encourage parents to bring their children for treatment and after that to assist in vocational training. In South Taranaki alone the school medical authorities have notes of 25 cases so that throughout the Dominion there is a very great work t’o he done.” ' The'Mayor said that the public response to the Rotary appeal was outstandifig in its sincerity and the meeting, he felt sure, Avas grateful both to Mr Homer and to Dr Buist for their addresses.. In his opinion there was a definite need for a branch in Hawera of a. society from which so much benefit must accrue. Mr E. Dixon formally moved at this juncture that a branch of the Noaa Zealand Crippled Children’s Society ho formed, to be known the South Taranaki branch of the NeAv Zealand Crippled Children’s Society. Mr Dixon said it had been represented to him that sufficient money already was in hand for the work of the society, but he pointed out that at the present rate of interest the investment Avould return only between £2OOO and £3OOO. A much larger national fund was csThe motion Avas seconded by Mr W. j[. Young and A\lien put to the meeting Avas carried unanimously. 9 AUXILIARY COMMITTEES On the motion of Mr Horner seconded bv ill - }i. McCarthy it was resolved that an endeavour be made to establish auxiliary committees at Stratford, Eltham, Kaponga, Manaia and Patea, a delegation to visit each of those centres. Officers were elected as folloAv: (President, Mr A. K. North; first Aricepresident, -Mr F. %V. Sutton (Hawera), other A'ice-presidents to be the chairman of the auxiliary committees Avho will be entitled to a seat on the executive; secretary and treasurer, Mr A. Wilson; committee, Dr W. F. Buist, Dr W. M. Thomson, Messrs R. H. Leece, W\ H. Young, F. W. Horner, F. Mills, J. W. Thomas, W. G. Simpson, Mrs S. R. Veitch and Mrs C. Twaddle. The committee Avas authorised to adopt the standard rules for the constitution of the branch subject to modification according to the needs of the district.

The Mayor reported that the Hawera and district subscriptions to date.totalled £24 4s fid. He would ho guided by the committee in its decision ns to the best- use to which the money could be devoted.

Votes of thanks to the principal speakers and to the Mayor for presiding were carried by acclamation. At a subsequent meeting of the committor it was decided to launch an appeal immediately for members at an annual subscription of os, or. in the case of those desirous of becoming life meinbevs, £"> os. All contributions above the amount of os will be, acknowledged in the “Haw-era Star.”