CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 119, 21 April 1936, Page 9

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

QUESTION OF ASSISTANCE. HOSPITAL BOARD’S POLICY. ‘Phe question of the policy to l>e followed in co-operating with the Palmerston North branch of the Crippled Children’s Society was briefly discussed at the meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday. “The financial resources of the branches of the society arc- very limited, as they depend almost wholly upon public subscriptions,” stated a. letter received from the Hospital Boards’ Assocjation. “The Lord Nuffield gift of £50,000 is held in trust, being invested on fixed deposit at a very low rate of interest, and the income only, which works out at a little less than 5s per crippled child per year, is available for vocational training. It will be seen, therefore, that the branches of the society, with their very slender resources, a.re greatly restricted in the scope of their work, though no doubt by co-operation with the hospital boards the outlook of the child can be made a little brighter and avenues of work opened up through vocational training.” The managing-secretary (Mr A. J. Phillips) stated that no reply had been made by the association to specific questions submitted to it. Mr A. E. Mansford said the association had been asked definite questions on what were more or less policy measures. The board wanted that information, so that action could be taken on uniform lines.

The chairman (Mr J. K. Hornblow) undertook to take up the matter again and explain the position to the association’s executive.

Mr Mansford said he had been approached and asked if tho board would be able to provide the society with tire names of crippled children who had passed through its institution, in order that these cases might be investigated with a view to rendering assistance.

The chairman said lie could see no objection to tlio board providing the names of cases dealt with during the past five years. The managing-secretary said he an-

tieipated difficulty there, as they might come into conflict with the law. •The medical superintendent (Mr J. LI. North) expressed the opinion that before any names were forwarded the parents should be asked if f liey. had any objection to this. It was agreed that there could be no objection to giving the names if this course were followed, and provided that the history of the case was not submitted. The discussion was not carried further in the absence of an official communication on these .lines.