HELPING CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20535, 29 September 1936, Page 10

HELPING CRIPPLED CHILDREN

iOUTH CANTERBURY FORTUNATE

SOCIETY’S ANNUAL

.MEETING

“South Canterbury seems to be particularly fortunate so far as crippled children are concerned; other parts of New Zealand seem to be much worse off than we are,” said Mr W. Thomas 'at the first annual meeting of the South Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society, over ! which he presided last night. To date the organisation of the Society, which was formed on June 6, 1935, had been controlled by a committee elected by the Timaru Rotary Club, stated the annual report. The committee had endeavoured to carry out in the first year, the policy laid down by the central executive: “That for the first year the Societies should devote their energies toward making a thorough survey of cripples in their district.” Through the agencies of the newspapers, school teachers, Plunket Society, Ministers’ Association, Women’s Institutes and private persons in South Canterbury, 31 crippled children were placed on the Society’s register. The parents or guardians of these children were written to by the secretary asking them to take the children to a doctor for examination. Seven neither acknowledged the letter nor sent the children for examination.

Cases Assisted.

Fourteen were medically examined. It was found that seven were being well cared for, and at present required no special treatment or assistance. A girl, crippled from birth, a case where medical or surgical treatment would be of no avail, was given a course of dressmaking at a cost of £6/6/-, and supplied with new supports at a cost of £l/1/-. A boy and a girl might require the Society's help later on in education. A girl suffering from severe facial dissymmetry was examined by four doctors, and sent to Dunedin to a specialist for further examination. Supports costing 15/- were supplied to a boy. A new pram costing £5/10/was supplied to a girl suffering from spastic paralysis, and an invalid chair costing £l5/4/- to a girl, much older and likewise afflicted. The Society contributed £lO toward the cost of a special operation, which was r. complete success, on a baby. A distressing country case of a boy, who is badly paralysed, had engaged the attention of the Society since its formation. The home surroundings were not congenial, and the Society wished to place the boy in a home at some future date. In order to help meantime, the Society was providing the boy with an invalid chair, which is now being constructed. Four crippled boys had applied to the Society for assistance to find employment. One boy wanted clerical work, one desired to learn sign-writing, one wished to be apprenticed to the bootmaking trade, and the other any light position opening. The bootmaking trade, sign-writers and offices were interviewed by the secretary with a view to placing these lads, but without success so far. The committee expressed the opinion that finding employment for cripples is the biggest task ahead. It will leave no stone unturned in endeavouring to open up avenues of employment for them.

Sound Finances

The sources of the Society’s income during the first year were members’ subscriptions, donations, sale of books and proceeds of a concert which was given by the pupils of the Timaru Technical College. The Committee ex* presses its thanks to the Principal, staff and pupils of the College for the kind gesture. The concert was of a high standard and augmented the Society’s funds to the extent of £24.

The Committee places on record rs appreciation of the help and sympathy received from the Timaru doctors and the South Canterbury Hospital Board for the use of its room for meetings and co-operation at all times. The Committee also extends thanks to the newspapers for their publicity and to all who had supplied infomation concerning necessitous cases. The statement of accounts shows that the receipts totalled £ll4/2/-, and the expenditure £5l/10/2, leaving a credit balance of £62/11/10.

Mr Thomas, in moving the adoption of the report, explained that the committee’s first duty had been to comb the district to ascertain the number of cripples there were in South Canterbury. The Society had now reached the stage where it was finding out what a call there was for work by the Society. There was a desire to do something more than had been done in the past yea’*, but the first task had been to find out what work there was to be done. Having done that and found that there were 31 cripples in South Canterbury, the was ready to go ahead in the next year. In conclusion, the president paid a tribute to the secretary (Mr W. Carlton) for the work he had done during the year. The motion was seconded by Mr E. S. Cooper. “I think the Society has justified its existence in the last 12 months,” said Mr R. W. Simpson, who siid the Society was fortunate in having sound medical men at its back and an efficient secretary. The report was adopted. Election of Officers. The following officers were elected: Patrons, the Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P., Messrs T. D. Burnett M.P., D. Barnes MP.; vice-patrons, Messrs P. C. Vinnell (Mayor of Timaru), G. Dash (Mayor of Waimate), A. W. Buzan (Mayor of Temuka), C. J. Talbot (Fairlie), J. Bitchener (Waimate), T. B. Garrick (Levels), K. Mackenzie (Geraldine); president, Mr W. Thomas; vice-presi-dents, Dr J. C. McKenzie, and Dr F. F. A. Ulrich; committee, Mrs E. A. Scott, Miss J. Orbell, the Rev. J. Baird, Adjutant Knight, Messrs F. I. Washbourne, W. D. Campbell, R. W. Simpson, C. F. Clarke, J. M. Dunne, W. H. Walton, H. C. Romans, H. J. LeCren; honorary auditor, Mr P. B. Foote; honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr W. Carlton.

In a general discussion on the . lances, it was pointed out that the membership, totalling 31, was exceedingly small for a town of the size of Timaru. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Carlton and Drs McKenzie and Ulrich.