CRIPPLED CHILDREN.

Wairarapa Age, 1 August 1936, Page 4

CRIPPLED CHILDREN.

WIDE SCOPE OF SOCIETY’S ACTIVITES. EXECUTIVE’S FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. The first annual report of the executive of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society states, inter alia:— “For the first year the branches have been mainly engaged in preparing and adopting their rules and being incorporated; surveying their districts in order To ascertain those cripples needing help, and generally getting a knowledge of the work waiting their attention; forming their organisation work generally on the lines of committees, such as medical referee committee, visitation committee, transport committee, vocational training committee etc. Many of the hm.ne.haa have been engaged in work for a few months only. Consequently details of work accomplished are not easily recorded in tabulated form but 1069 cases of crippled children have been recorded by the fourteen branches from which reports have been received at the time of writing. Bearing in mind that the society was not formed to relieve hospital boards of any of their obligations in regard to cripples, but to supplement such work and not to overlap into the fields of other kindred societies (charitable aid etc.), branches have been careful that any expenditure incurred went for the. direct benefit of the cripple. The extent of their expenditure is no indication of the work done, as so much of it is of a voluntary and honorary character—visitations, medical examinations, transport provided etc. Most of the recorded cases have been either medically examined or visited and investigated. Many have been brought to treatment.” The report goes on to detail some of the activities undertaken by branches, such as arranging educational facilities by visiting tutors, swimming classes, courses of training in various crafts and provision of necessities. Several children have been sent to country districts, board and medical supervision being arranged there and a number have been sent to the larger centres for expert treatment and instruction. Branches are realising the splendid work being done by public hospitals in the treatment of cripple* and are endeavouring to supplement it in ways beneficial to the cripple. The main work of the society, the report states, will lie in preparing and helping the cripple to establish himself or herself as a self-supporting independent unit in onr economic system. The vocational training and placing in employment, or self-sustaining industry will be the main work of the society. The immense difficulties of the problem are recognised and the position is being carefully studied. Probably specialist development at our principal technical schools and colleges will be found to offer some practical possibilities towards a partial solution and to offer the best line of advance at present. Then a cripple consciousness must be created in the community, and existing prejudices, often ill-founded, to the employment of cripples in suitable industries removed. Very real assistance has been provided for a number of cripples and it can already be said that the society has amply justi6ed its existence and that a very definite and widespread need exists for such work as the society purposes to carry out.