FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21418, 9 March 1935, Page 16

FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Lord Nuffield Gives £IO,OOO More AUCKLAND CITIZEN'S FINE OFFER [TIIE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, March 8. The greatest enthusiasm greeted the announcement at a luncheon to Lord Nuffield of two further splendid gifts for the relief of crippled children. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr G. W. Hutchison) made it known that Mr and Mrs W. R. Wilson had offered to present their home, "St. Leonards," Takapuna, with its 13 acres of grounds, for a crippled children's home, subject to the creation of an endowment. Lord Nuffield thereupon announced that he would supplement his previous gift of £50,000 by a further £IO,OOO to form the nucleus of a Dominion endowment fund. "I can sense in the community a desire to show Lord Nuffield that his magnificent gift is appreciated and to show it in practical form," said Mr Hutchison. "I therefore intend to open a list so that members of the public may be able to express their thankfulness for Lord Nuflield's generous gift. Ido not know what is proposed in otjier centres; hut I am encouraged to do this by representations that have already been made to me. Gift of a Home "Yesterday a gentleman called upon me and said he and his wife had been deeply touched by Lord Nuffield's generosity, and by what Dr. Bernard Myers had said in an address to the Rotary Club about the efforts being made in London for the after care of crippled children in garden homes. He told me that he had discussed the matter with his wife, and that they had decided to offer, subject to the raising of the necessary endowment fund for its upkeep, a gift of their home fur such a purpose. (Loud applause.) "This may not perhaps seem a great thing," continued the Mayor, "but when I tell you the property is none other than the beautiful old home of Mr and Mru W. R. Wilson, at Takapuna, you will realise— " The remainder of the sentence was drowned in prolonged applause. "It must have required considerable thought even to decide to make such a wonderful gift," said Mr Hutchison, when he was allowed to resume. "It means that two persons who have arrived at a stage in life when they would naturally desire to live quietly in their beautiful home will walk out of it. When you think of that you will j realise the greatness of the gift that is offered. I know that you and the citizens generally will make it possible for us to accept the offer. The endowment that is stipulated is not a large sum, merely enough to ensure that when the property passes out of the owners' possession it will not be allowed to deteriorate or be used for other purposes than that for which it was given." Lord Nuffield, in his subsequent speech, took an early opportunity to remark upon the offer. "Quite Overwhelmed" "I am quite overwhelmed by the charity of Mr and Mrs Wilson," he said. "It is remarkable that they should be prepared to walk out of one of the most beautiful homes in the world. Size does not matter. After living there, as I presume for many years, their hearts must have been stirred by what has been done: but they could not have been stirred by anything better. The cause of the crippled children has now become a national matter, and there is a talk of endowments. Since Mr and Mrs Wilson have been so generous. I should like to make an offer of £ 10,000 to start an endowment fund for the whole of New Zealand." Lord Nuffield's announcement, which was made almost with diffidence, was received with more loud applause. "The Mayor has made a fine gesture in proposing that Auckland should be the first to raise a fund," continued Lord Nuffield. "Might I suggest that all the Mayors of the North Island and the South Island should do the same. I shall then have the feeling that at any rate, in some way, I have started a very great work in this country." Later Lord Nuffield remarked that the Mayor and Mr C. J. B. Norwood would probably agree with him that the funds raised in Auckland should be thrown into a national scheme. In this way far more would be achieved than by standing alone. It might be that children would have to be passed from one hospital or home to another, in order that the very best might be done for them. The principle should be. "Unity is strength." He was sure that Mr'and Mrs Wilson would agree with this.