TO AID THE BLIND
SIE ARTHUR PEARSON MEMORIAL TUND At a recent meeting' of the Now Zealand Committee of the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund to aid the civilian blind people of the Dominion, the ehairmam, Mr Chit ha Mackenzie. M.P., announced the present state of the fund in a number of centres as follows: — Ch ristehurch. £5000; Wellington,
£SOO0 1 Duilediii, £1500; £1130; Timaru, £900; Napier, £700; Gore, £800; Whangarei, £500; Nelson, £300; Ashburton, £510; Oamaru, £383: Temuka, £380; Grcyniouth, £350; Waimate, £350; Marlborough, £300; Eotorua, £-77; Geraldine, £2OO ; Hokitika, £300; Hastings, £145; Thames, £137; Otane, £120; Marton, £105; Levin, £lOl. Tliese are not the eomplcto returns, as in most cases active collecting for the fund is still in progress, and 121 a number of eases only just started. The total amount in hand through out the whole Dominion is approximately £lB,000, but this figure is rising daily ill a rapid rate.- Numerous country settlements have subscribed their quota or are busily doing so, and details of these will be published later. In many North Island centres arrangements are in hand for entering upon campaigns. 'Everywhere, the chairman said, the appeal had met with the most ready and willing response. The practical nature of the proposals, the immense need of the work, the direct result it would bring in added human happiness and in economic, value to the State, and aivvays the wonderful example in the blinded soldiers of the useful citizens which training and supervision could make of blind men, matte a direct appeal to the people which was irresistible. .He wished to express the deepest .gratitude of ,the Committee and himself for the magnificent work of numberless good people in every walk of life, and for the generous coatributions of many who could ill afford to give. Numbers of people in straightened circumstances, realising that to live a life of perpetual darkness in misery, poverty and. enforced idleness, imprisoned by blindness, cut off from the beauties of the world, from literature, from independence and from the joy of the home and domestic life, was an infinitely worse state than their own circumstances, readily gave their mite to the fund.
The publicity essential to the campaign was having a most useful result in the direct education of the people to the fact that the blind can be every bit as useful and even more so at many trades and occupations, than sighted men or women, and that they can take their place in the ordinary social life of the community, frequently becoming leading citizens in local public affairs. What the blind can do, they do wholeheartedly. What they want is a start in life—that is the business of the Pearson Memorial Fund. f ;
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Bibliographic details
Waikato Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2581, 5 August 1922, Page 3
Word Count
455TO AID THE BLIND Waikato Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2581, 5 August 1922, Page 3
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