GENERAL BOOTH QUITE BLIND

West Coast Times, 21 June 1912, Page 2

GENERAL BOOTH QUITE BLIND

NEW COAIWISSIOXER’S OIbSERVATIONS, IPER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT | CHRISTCHURCH, June 20. In the course of an interview Commissioner Richards said that just before he left England, he had an interview with General Uooth, who was then about to undergo an operation on bis eye. “When lie came to Africa,” said Commissioner Richards, ‘‘the cataract on one eye had formed completely, but the other was just commencing to show. The General returned to England and there an operation was sueccssfully performed cm the eye, on which the cataract was ripe. Later he went on a motor tour in England, but ho neglected to wear goggles and a fly gel into his eye, and septic poisoning sot in, with the result that the eye had to lie removed. Then a cataract formed on the other eye, but the operation has been unsuccessful.

"When I saw the General,, said the Commissioner, “he was cheerful and was hiking forward to Ids visit to Australia and New Zealand. He remarked jocularly that he hoped to see the Now Zealanders. General Jiooth has a warm spot for New Zealand, and bo gave mo special directions to give Ids love to the people of the Dominion. For some time before last operation, ho could only detect shades. The failure of the operation moans, of course, that blindness will be permanent.” Commissioner Richards, who has come to take command of the Salvation Army in this province, arrived at Lyttelton from the north this morning. 'Hie Commissioner, who was accompanied by Mrs Richards, was accorded a civic reception at Lyttelton and Christchurch.