Crippled Children Society Aim

Northern Advocate, 7 June 1940, Page 3

Crippled Children Society Aim

K .Special to “Northern Advocate”] AUCKLAND, This Day. The call was for the society to do its best to keep within the budget of its income, and at the same time to see, despite the financial drain by the war effort, that the income of the society did not suffer, said Mr A. K. North, as chairman, in commenting on the report of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society. In the report of the past year’s activities, acknowledgment had not been made, he regretted to say, of all who had given valuable help, and to whom the society felt grateful. He desired to make special mention of the practical assistance of Brain’s College in training and finding employment for crippled children.

Mr G. J. Park endorsed the chairman’s expression of thanks to helpers, and emphasised the therapeutic benefits to many of the children through a course of swimming instruction initiated by Dr. Harold Pettit. Cases Treated In reply to a question about the number of cases treated, Mr Park said there were 667 in Auckland to March 1, and a survey of the Waikato area gave notification of an additional 70 to 100 cases.

Respecting the future, Mr P. J. Jones spoke of the impressive work he had j seen in England in vocational teaming for cripples, and suggested that an effort might be made now to encourage greater employment of children with crippled limbs. Ordinarily, legislation and the attitude of other workers militated against such employment, but in the war effort they could be employed in such things as the making up and packing of clothing, in ammunition work and Red Cross work. It would hearten and encourage the crippled worker and indirectly assist

in the war effort.. Work at Technical College Mr A. L. Spence and Mrs Spence spoke of the work already being done |in the Technical College by way of vocational training, and, Mr North stressed, the need for means whereby the society might extend the scope of its usefulness. The work of the society, said Mr North, was only at its commencement. It was able to give the children surgical and medical treatment, the necessities of life, and, with the aid of the Seddon Memorial Technical College ever at its back, some vocational training. But their goal and aim must be a vocational training centre on the lines of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. The report and balance sheet were adopted unanimously. Officers Appointed The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr W. R. Wilson: chairman, Mr A. G. Poison; deputy-chairman, Mr R. F. Ward; non. secretary and treasurer, Mr G. J. Park; hon. medical officer, Dr. W. C. McCaw; hon. medical consulting committee, Drs. W. Gilmour, J. W. Craven, T.-'W. J. Johnston and Mr K. McKenzie; hon. ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. W. A. Fairclough; hon. opticians, W.' A. Taaffe, Ltd.; hon. solicitor, Mr Allan L. Spence; hon. educational officer, Professor A. B. Fitt; Wilson Home committee representatives, Miss B. E. Car-* nachan. Messrs G. J. Park and Allan L. Spence. An executive committee of 21 members was also appointed.