GIFT TO SUFFERERS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1929, Page 8

GIFT TO SUFFERERS

A POSTMAN’S LEPER WARP/

A London postman has built a ward for lepers in India by saving £2 per week lor many years out of a wage ol £9 I Os. He is Mr F. Cardinal, of Clerkemvell. He went to India- last year to lay the corner-stone of the building, and was granted 00 days’ leave, without pay. by the Post Office authorities. He paid his own fare there and hack.

‘1 first came in touch with the leper stations while I was soldiering in .n----dia.” Mr Cardinal told a Tit-hits representative. “I saw many pathetic sights among lepers, who were rather 'neglected, perhaps partly owing to tlmir own fauit. 1 resolved to help them when I could, but in those days there wasn’t much cash left after J hail bought- a few cigarettes and sent home to my people. My chance came later.

"After serving in the Boer War, I married and settled down. \\ hen tin Great War came I joined up again and was a staff sergeant in the Post Office Rifles. On returning to London i found my wife gone and my home broken up. For a time I. was in despair I tramped the streets looking for an unfurnished room where 1 could build a new home for myself. “It was then that I had an inspiration. I went to the last house to which 1 had delivered letters before leaving TCngland and found'that the occupier was an old neighbour of my childhood days—Annie Fletcher. She was a cripple and an old age pensioner, and lived on 17s a week. Out of this she paid a guinea a year to a- leper station. ‘A i-hanksg-ving offering,’ she said, ‘for my own good health.’ She was 8!) years old. . “Cntil her death in 1924 1 looked after her, and ,nfterwards I sa-ved every penny I could, with the idea of commemorating her name for ever. I felt the pinch, lint it was worth it. and my army savings, helped. 1 built the ‘Fletcher-Cardinal’ ward at Manamadura. -South India. While I was going over the colony, a leper came in from an outlying district with a iettei given to him two months previously. There had been no room then, and he had been told to call again. He turned up, very hopeful, but was told ‘Yroom yet.’ He dropped clown in ttesnair. The inmates of another ward held a hurried council together and agreed to share their food and space with the other poor native. It was allowed. “1. am retiring at the end of tin : year, and lam still saving. Other members of the TTiion of Post Office Workers are subscribing with me to r fund for another ward. It will be built near my own ward at the Dayapurani Leper Hospital, Manamadura. I hope to open tluit before 1 retire, and I think, together, we shall do it. My room costs me os—Os 3d including a little tin for my housekeeper. My uniform costs nothing. T never go to a theatre or kincma, and I have no luxuries beyond an occassional cigarette. There are an fares to pay- i live on niv own and walk.’ That is how I save, and I enjoy every minute of it.”

Men have received honours for doing less than Air Cardinal, but ho desires no - recognition. For six days out of seven he collects and delivers letters and is content.