BLIND SOLDIERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21781, 21 April 1934, Page 15

BLIND SOLDIERS

CONQUEST OF HANDICAP REUNION IN AUCKLAND More than 20 men who have lost their sight in consequence of war service will meet for three days next week at the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, which is organising a reunion in conjunction with St. Dunstan's, London, and the New Zealand Commercial Travellers' Blinded Soldiers' Fund. Most of them are friends, but unfortunately their ranks have been joined recently by several whose war injuries are only now causing total blindness. It will be stimulating for them to meet the older members, whose conquest of what seems a tremendous handicap is really remarkable. Four of those coming are masseurs who ply their healing art with a special skill and a cheerful optimism which soon has the patient on the road to recovery. Two are poultry farmers, two dairy farmers and one, with partial vision, is an apiarist. Six are at work in various capacities at the Blind Institute, while others,' because of ill-health, are not able to undertake active occupation, although, by reason of their training in •Braille,' typewriting and a variety of interests, they are able to fill their hours usefully and pleasantly. Rowing, ' fishing,' swimming, dancing, card playing, gardening, music and reading are their more popular hobbies. A civic reception to the party is to be tendered by the deputy-mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, at the Town Hall on Monday.