GENERAL BOOTH'S BLINDNESS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 22 June 1912, Page 5

GENERAL BOOTH'S BLINDNESS.

BY TELEGRAPH-PBEss ASSOCIATION

CHRISTOHURCH, June 20 Commissioner Richards, who has W'inth- C°mmaild °f Sal^ Army m this province, arrived at ■fee TL r m thG "°rth tWs ™rn--ng. Ihe Commissioner was accorded

In the course of an interview Commissioner Richards said mst before he Wt England he had an interview with General Booth., who was then about XvT l £° an nation-on W eye. When he came to Africa," said Comnaasioner Richards, "the cataract on one eyeball had formed completely, but the other was .just commencing to show. He returned to England, and there an operation was successfully performed on the eye on which the cataract was ripe. Later he went on a motor tour in England, but neglected to wear gobies. A fly got into the eje, and septic poisoning set in, with the result that tho eye had to be removed. Then a cataract formed on the other eye but the operation has been unsuccessful. When I saw the General he was cheerful, ana was looking forward to a visit to Australia and New He remarked jocularly that he hoped to see the New Zealanders. general Booth has a warm spot for New Zealand, and he gave me* special directions to give his love to the people of the dominion. For some time before the last operation he could not distinguish people, but could only detect shades. The failure of the operation means, of course, that 'blindness will be permanent.'"