BLINDED SOLDIERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23183, 1 November 1938, Page 7

BLINDED SOLDIERS

MEN OF ST. DUNSTAN'S DOMINION ASSOCIATION Tho Auckland members of the St. Dunstan's New Zealand Blinded Soldiers' Association held a meeting at the Auckland Commercial Travellers' Club on Friday. Fourteen blinded ex- ... soldiers attended to renew old friendships. . . ' ;>'*■ The president of the association, Mr.' Donald McPhee, presided, and among those present were the vice-patron, Sir Clutha Mackenzie, Mr. C. J. W. Taylor and Mr. D. Little,. president and past president respectively of the . United Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association, Mr. P. Muir, president of the Auckland' Travellers' Club, Mr. W. Prentice, trustee of the Commercial Travellers' Blinded Soldiers' Fund, and Mr. P. T'itchimer, president of the Auckland branch of the Australian Imperial Forces. Originally there were 23 men in the New Zealand Division who lost their 1sight in action, all receiving training at St. Dunstan's, and, mainly owing to mustard gas, tho number was increased to 34. Sovoh of' the latter group of 11 were trained at tho New Zealand Institute for the Blind, which is modelled on St. Dunstan's. Resolutions of' isympathv with the relatives of two members who died dur- ; ing the year were passed. Eight members of Yhe association have now died,, and of the remaining 96- those who enjoy good health, are living useful lives" as farmers, poultry farmers and !<';■ masseurs. In proposing thci toast of St. Dunstan's, Mr. H. Si me referred to the spirit which animated every man who had attended that institution, and in i, reply Sir Clutha Mackenzie spoke of , the work of the founder, the late Sir Arthur Pearson.v The toast of the United Commercial., , Travellers' Association and the Auek-x , land Commercial Travellers' Club was proposed by Mr. C. Moloney, secretary of the St. Dunstan's Association, who expressed gratitude for the assistance of these two bodies. •' - The trustees of the Travellers' Blinded Soldiers' Fund work in close co-operation with the Institute for tho Blind in connection with the provision of training, typewriters. Braille machines and tho use of Braille and talking book libraries. < Mr. Prentice replied.