CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 166, 13 June 1940, Page 2

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

WORK OF SOCIETY. Reviewing the activities for the year ended March 31, 1940, the report or the Manawatu branch of the Crippled Children Society states that tins year has seen the completion of five years’ active work, during which period there has been steady progress in the number of cases under the care of the branch, due to the fact that new registrations are in excess of the cases deleted from the register each year. Specially gratifying are the results achieved in various cases that Have had the carefully planned attention of the society for several years, and. j which, after, passing through the 1 medical, educational and vocational training stages, have been successfully placed in permanent, congenial and remunerative employment. The ,increase in the work of the welfare officer and the necessity for freeing her as far as possible from clerical work and records led to the appointment of Miss Margaret Poole, who has a genuine interest in the work and has rendered valuable service. Prior to ,1939 the only towns haying sub-branches actively associated witli the Manawatu branch were Dannevirke and Woodville. Since then further subbranches have been successfully established at Levin and F’eilding, and have contributed valuable co-opera-tion in enlisting the public interest and support in the work of the society. it is hoped to add sub-branches at Foxton, Oiaki and Shannon. The number of registered cases in this district has increased from 52 in 1906 to 120‘at the end of March, 1940. The detailed figures are as follow: 1936- total cases registered, 52; 1937- total cases registered, 90; 1908-39, total cases as at March 31, 1939, 105; 1939-40, total cases as at March 31, 1940, 120. Cases are locateU in Rang.waliia, Kakariki, Mar ton, i'eildmg, Coiyton, Palmers,on North, Rongotea, Glen Oroua, Tiakitahuna, j l'ox,ou. Waitarere, Opiki, Hhannon, Levin, Manakau, Otaki, Ohau, Waihanae, Ashhurst, Woodville, Dannevirke, OiniondviUe, Norsewood, Mangatainoka, Bunnythorpe, Koputaroa and Rangiotu. Private tuition has been provided for several cases in music, elocution and commercial work. One case necessitating ypeciai treatment was transrerrecl to a Wellington specialist tor operation, the total exp<-nuiture being met by special arrangement througn the local Hospital i>„uid, the New Zealand executive of the Cnppied Uhildren Society, and the Manawatu branch of tue society. As the provision j of splints and • boots has been made . through the hospital boards, the I amount expended l>y" the society lias been greatly reduced during the past year, and should be further reduced in the ensuing year. Board and residence in town has been arranged for six country cases. Case No. 7 is now entered upon the thiid year at school, and under treatment at Palmerston North. The total cost of this case to date is £7B 7s 6d. Case No. 4/ has entered the second year, while tour cases have been resident tor short periods while 'undergoing treatment. (In one case where compensation was given the full cost was refunded.) Weh are officer’s visits: Visits paid (Manawatu district), 518; visits received (Manawatu district), 180. WELFARE OFFICER’S WORK. Miss E. Aitkin, welfare officer, reports : “At a period when so many cOnfligtirig elements are . stirring torascendancy in. our midst, the work amongst crippled boys and girls might well be lost sight of, but' it is generally accepted, however; that this work must progress even through these difficult years. Within the welfare office the duty is to correlate all the other branches to suit the individual requirements of the child. A particular effort has been made to increase the interest in hobbies and crafts during the past year. A great deal more work has yet to be done in this direction, hut the scattered nature of the district has made progress slow. The development of the Girl Guide movement in our midst has been of great assistance in this direction. Under Miss Poole’s able direction a Post Guide and Post Ranger Company has been formed. Some of the local girls are able to attend the active Ranger and Guide meetings also. The fact that the welfare office is able to be open each day during the week, since Miss Poole’s appointment took place, is of immense assistance in keeping in direct touch with our children, who are free to visit the office when need arises. .Much has yet to be done to enable the branch to-keep in direct touch with the more distant cases. It is comparatively easy to see those within reach of the ci tvareas. For this reason, from tlic Welfare Office point of view the formation of the sub branches in at least two other districts is welcomed. In the coming year it is hoped to make considerable use of those representing the snli-committees. The district nurses associated with the Palmerston -North Hospital Board’s district have been most helpful when it was found necessary to contact certain cases hut not possible to make a“ special visit'. For example, the sending of .cas’S t 6. clinic has been undertaken bv. the (district nurses in order that children may be on correct trains or supplied with tickets. To all who have helped with the progress of this, past work I would like to express thanks. It would be impossible ,;to enumerate all at-the eonclus’oh of this brief report,, but without the co-operation of both executive and outside friends the work could not have proceeded as lianpily as it has done in the past'year.”