HELPING THE BLIND

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20105, 26 March 1928, Page 9

HELPING THE BLIND

PEARSON FUND FINAL MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The committee of the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund held its final meeting last week at Auckland, the chairman, Mr Clutha Mackenzie, presiding. In presenting his final report, the chairman said that following upon Sir (Arthur’s death in 1921, the committee [bad been set up to raise a fund as a memorial to his great services to the blind, its practical purpose being to provide the Jubilee Institute for the Blind with a regular income to bo applied to after care work amongst the blind community throughout the Dominion; much of the Institute’s effort at that time being rendered unproductive owing to its inability to furnish the money required to start capable blind people in the occupations they had mastered.

The public had responded to the appeal most generously and the committee’s efforts had been crowned with success. The accounts throughout had been audited and certified to by the Government Audit Department. By March 31, 1927, the committee had handed to the trustees of the Institute the sum of £41,060 9/11. This year’s payments would total £615 8/10. In addition the Christchurch City Council had agreed to contribute two further instalments of £250 each during the next two years, bringing its total ■ grant to £lOOO. Lengthy negotiations with the Government on the subject of subsidy had terminated with the acceptance of a State grant of £20,000, .so that the total capital amount which the committee had been instrumental in securing for the Institute for the purposes of the fund was £62,175 15/9. Gne matter for congratulation was that the total expenses of the committee had been only £6BO 10/5, approximately 14 per cent, or, if the Government contribution was included, just over 1 per cent. Particular thanks were due to 3XIr. Norman Williams for the splendid way in which he had filled the post of hon. treasurer. There was now no longer any necessity for the continuance of the committee, and lie (Air. Mackenzie) would recommend that the outstanding balance, together with books and papers, should be handed over to the trustees of the Institute ns from March i?l, and that the committee be dissolved. They could not but bo grateful to the public and to the Government for the very generous way in which they had supported the fund. He wished the Institute every success with the fund in the development of its splendid work. Already with its help an extensive organization had been set up which had been able to give untold joy to blind people in every part of the Dominion. He thanked the members of the committee for their kindly cooperation. In moving that the committee T>e dissolved, the Hon. George Fowlds stated that the original figure asked for from the public was £45,000. A sum of £41,675 15/9 had been received, and the deficiency was due to the fact that the committee had acquiesced in a suggestion from the trustees that the Pearson fund appeal should give way as far as Auckland was concerned, to the Blind Institute building fund, which had realised £17,000. Since the institution of the fund in 1922, the Government had established a pension for the blind and the equipment of the Institute had been overhauled and fine: building erected. He thought it would raw be difficult to find a country where there were better provisions for the welfare of the sightless.

The motion was seconded by Mr Charles Rhodes and carried.