WORK FOR THE BLIND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21399, 25 January 1933, Page 7

WORK FOR THE BLIND

JUBILEE INSTITUTE CHANGE OF NAME The Jubilee Institute for the Blind is now tho New Zealand Institute for the Blind, tho change in name having Leon made'recently. Under the old name tho institute has given 42 years' service to the blind of the Dominion. Prior to 1890, apart from arrangements made by tlie Education Department to send a certain number of blind children to tho Melbourne School for the Blind for training, nothing had been done for the New Zealand blind. In that year a blind man from Victoria, Mr. John Tighe, interested a number of Auckland citizens, including Bishop Cowie and Mr. John Abbot, in tho need for an organisation to care for tho blind, with tho result that a small society, known as tho Society of the Friends of tho Bliud, was set up. Mr. Abbot took active steps to raiso funds and was successful in having about £250, the surplus proceeds of the 50th jubilee celebrations of the founding of the colony, handed over as the nucleus. It is this jubilee which was, therefore, associated with tho.. institute's old name.

With Mr. Tigho as its first director, tho institute was founded on sound lines, its early activities being confined mainly to the education of blind children. Then workshops for those passing on from school age or losing their sight in adult life were gradually developed, especially for,' those who could not compete for a living in the outside world. It has, howover, always been tho institute's' policy to encourage its more capable and enterprising members to take up trades and professions they can follow, as independent citizens. To-day there are blind masseurs, piano tuners, farmers, shopkeepers, musicians, salesmen and tradesmen. In 1021, in order to assist the work of obtaining employment for # tho institute's trainees, the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund was established. The headquarters at Paruell. of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind comprise a group of modern brick buildings in beautiful grounds. Every facility for tho vocational training and recreation of tho blind is afforded. There are about 140 inmates.