CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Southland Times, Issue 25367, 20 August 1935, Page 6

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

MEETING OF SOCIETY. FUTURE PLANS DISCUSSED. Plans for future work were discussed at a meeting of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society last evening. Mr S. McC. McDonald was chairman and there were also present Mrs R. Henderson, Dr Stanley Brown, Mr D. J. Wesney and Messrs J. Hunter and W. B. Johnston, of the Gore branch.

A report on the- Dominion conference was submitted by Mr Wesney, who stated there was no doubt that much good work had been done for the cause. It was interesting to note that Mr Justice Smith, who had been elected president, had remarked that 90 per cent of the crippled children were made and not born. A remit from Southland advocating that the hospital board district boundaries should be the boundaries of the committees was carried. It was important to emphasize that the Wilson home in Auckland, the gift of Mr and Mrs W. R. Wilson, could never be a hospital. It could only be a convalescent home. The cost of maintaining each child, £l3O a year, was out of all proportion.

The chairman stated that so far seven letters asking for assistance had been received. The society had now reached its real business of dealing with these cases. They had a letter showing that the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union was willing to give every assistance and it was proposed to speak at a conference of the division on Friday. It was decided to appoint the chairman and Dr Stanley Brown to wait on the conference. It was also agreed that the executive should consider obtaining a report on the seven cases brought forward.

It was decided to launch immediately a campaign for subscriptions to the society. It was also decided to ask the ladies of the Rotary Club to form themselves into an auxiliary of a ladies’ committee in the city.

Mr Hunter stated that in Gore such an organization was not necessary, as the co-operation of all the necessary bodies had been secured, and everything was ready to go ahead. In fact members had been secured and tickets were wanted.

It was decided to procure a supply of stationery, especially tickets.