WELFARE OF BLIND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26197, 6 July 1946, Page 7

WELFARE OF BLIND

INDIA'S URGENT PROBLEM TWO MILLIONS AFFLICTED (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.! (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 5. Sir Clutha MacKenzie, the representative of St, Dunstan’s in India and adviser to the Indian Government on matters affecting the welfare of the blind, is at present visiting Britain, where he is conferring with the Council of St. Dunstan’s. He will return to India on July 14. Sir Clutha was this week the guest of honour at a dinner given by Sir lan Fraser, chairman of St. Dunstan’s, when the company included Sir Samuel Runganadhan, High Commissioner for India, and a number of distinguished visitors. Sir Clutha, replying to Sir lan’s welcome, said India was taking a generous practical interest in the problem of the war-blinded, and had already declared her readiness to help with equal enthusiasm the tragic problem of her 2,000,000 blind citizens The Government of India realised the urgent need to reduce the incidence of preventible diseases which caused a high proportion of blindness in the country. He paid a tribute to the gallant pioneers of the past half-century, whose tireless labours in India had prepared the way for the great advances made in this field of social welfare. Another New Zealander who has done outstanding work for St. Dunstan’s in Britain, Miss Nesta Morrah, of Wellington, will return to the Dominion on July 7 after working as a voluntary helper at St. Dunstan’s ill London since the early days of the last war. Miss Morrah arrived in England shortly after the outbreak of the Great War. and, finding that she was unable to return to New Zealand, she settled in London, where she took up voluntary work for the blind and became one of the best known and most popular assistants at St. Dunstan’s. Last week two presentations were made to her, one from the council of St. Dunstan’s and one from the headquarters staff.