FOR THE BLIND.

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1921, Page 8

FOR THE BLIND.

MEMBER PLEADS THEIR CAUSE.

Speaking in clear, measured tones, from notes with which he was prompted at intervals tfy Dr. A. K. Newman, Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, himself blinded, pleaded the cause of the blind last week before his fellow-members of the House of Representatives.

"I have no hesitation in. saying," he stated, "that in no other British country or civilised whit® country is so little done for the civil blind population as in this Dominion. It is my opiaion that a great deal more could' be done for the blind of New Zealand without an additional penny being spent upon them. There are 24 blinded or partial-ly-blinded soldiers in New Zealand. Some of these men, who are totally blind, are earning, as much as £10 or £32 a week, apart from their pension. This is the result of education. I would propose as a first step merely that the old age pensions should be made available to more of the blind. The next step would be a great improvement in the facilities f6r education. That is the main thing at the present time. great many of the blind are not fitted for earning a full living wage, and to those people I would suggest that subsidies on earnings should be paid. There is another class of blind person 1 with whom it is mosf difficult to deal, and that is the semi-mentally defectives, of whom there are a great number among the blind. The Jubilee Institute ip Auckland is comparatively well off, with sufficient money to carry on as a quite well-conducted institution. But I am of opinion that if the matter was taken up broadly throughout the Dominion the public would subscribe very generously for much increased organisation to enable our blind to take their places in the world. "The blinded soldiers who draw £10 or £12 a week are masseurs. Their work in the big hospitals of the Old Couitry and in New Zealand has earned the highest approval of the medical authorities. It is said that their work much exceeds in efficiency that of the sighted masseur, and some of the highest authorities have expressed the opinioi; that the work of massage should be left entirely to the blind. This is a thing that could not be brought about in New Zealand in a day, but I think steps should be taken towards giving that occupation as much as possibb to the blind. "A great deal more might be done for .the blind by organsing volunteer workers throughout the Dominion. I constantly receive letters from people with blind relatives, who want to know what can be done for them. I think I shall set about organising in time some society throughout New Zealand tc- take care of those blind people in their homes and to teach them small trades and occupations which will keep them happy and occupied.

"I should like also to see established in connection with the institute in Auckland some holiday sanatorium on one of the pleasant bays near the town, so .that the men and women may go there and indulge in rowing and bathing, and learn to do market gardening and that sort of thing in order that they may establish themselves in pleasant little homes. I do not favour, nor does Sir Arthur Pearson, the establishment of the blind in institutions or colonies for the purpose of carrying on one particular industry. I favour tirinirg the women so that they may make good wives ,and keep pleasant homes, and the men so that they may have home occupations and homas of their own, and be independent of an institution for the rest of their lives." Mr. Mackenzie received a very attcntive.hea.ring. i