NEW ZEALAND BLIND SOLDIERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 173, 8 July 1919, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND BLIND SOLDIERS.

MR. CLUTHA MACKENZIE’S

REMINDER.

“When the war ended,” said Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, “I wound up the ‘Chronicles of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force,’ with the idea of coming out to New Zealand, hoping to carry on the paper in some form or other out here. The soldiers have been very loyal to me right through, and 1 feel that I would like to do something connected with their interests. When I was out here in 1917 ? I made a tentative arrangement with the Returned Soldiers’ Association to conduct their paper. at the conclusion of the war, but 1 find that other counsels have prevailed, which 1 very much regret. That, of course, does not diminish my interest in the least degree. Sir Arthur Pearson has requested me to take charge of the New Zealand blind soldiers who were at St. Dunstan’s Hospital for the Blind, in regard to their future welfare. There are about a couple of dozen of them—a really fine lot of men —about half of whom have come back. The rest are still at St. Dunstan’s. They * were given a splendid training there, ' with a view to their becoming estab- ■ lished once more in civilian life—institutional control of such men is not de- ! sirable —and it remains for the public i to see that they are fully employed, as ; steady occupation is the one essential Jto the happiness of the blind.” Any ; communication for Mr. Mackenzie ad- : dressed care of the “Dominion” office, Wellington, will find him.