Help For Lepers

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 8, Issue 36, 1 September 1938, Page 4

Help For Lepers

TO THE EDITOR

Sir —For a number of years past we have appealed to the people of New Zealand to remember our unfortunate leper friends numbering 577 exiled at Makogai, Fiji.

We are deeply grateful for the magnificent response made to our appeals in past years. To many*, of us it is not a very great sacrifice to give some small gift for the lepers, but this little act of love means a great deal to these poor suffering souls. They thus know that others are sympathetic towards them and this fact gives them consolation and inspires new hope. About twelve letters have been received from patients expressing their deep gratitude for what has already been done to help them. Dr C .J. Austin, the Medical Superintendent at the Leprosarium, lays great stress on the value of these gifts, and' says that it is to the credit of New Zealand that many a patient has been helped back to complete recovery. He says: "If you could only see the good that is done by your gifts you .-would l , I am sure, feel fully rewarded." All goods are distributed by the doctor without any discrimination as to creed or colour. :

Gifts of money, musical instruments, bats', tennis racquets, silks, light materials, embroidery cottons, etc., soap, cigarettes and tobacco, will be much appreciated. Mr P. J. Twomey, the hon. collector, would be grateful if all communications were made to his private address, 172 Bealey Avenue, Christchurch, 0.1., telephone 38-558. The Postmaster-General has kindly reduced all parcel charges to half rates forwarded to the lepers, and we as trustees for ,the fund gratefully acknowledge this official's assistance. All donations should Tie forwarded to the-above address, and Mr Twomey will acknowledge same personally. In conclusion, may we once again express our very sincere thanks to all those kind friends who have helped us so regularly in the past, and trust that they may continue to do so in the present year, together with those who propose to assist this year for the first time. —Yours, etc., T. FLETCHER,TELFORD, M.D., D.S.M. P. J. TWOMEY, Joint Trustees, Makogai Leper Fund.