CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1946, Page 4

CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Socjety's Fine Work Grows "Potary Clubs are responsible fpr ihe* existence of the New Zealand Crippled Chi.dren Society," said Mr! A- Grigcr, pfesifient of the Manawatu branch, in an "address he gav'e as guest speaker at the Levin Rotary Club's weekly lunchepn yesterday. "Ihey were the first jto instigate it in New Zealand and today it is one of their major activities." Mr. Grigor went on to say that in 1930 the W filington' Rotary Club had been addressed by Dr. Alexander' Gillies on the subject nf crippled children, as a result -pf which the Ciub had decided tp ; investigate tho problem. The club then introducad it lat,er that year at Rptary's annual conference jn Dunedin. Invastigafions continued and culminated a't the annual conference at New Plymouth in 1934 with the decision to form a society under the guidanee of the "Mellington Club. A sum of £.8.00 in donations was promised at that copfepence and further money from Rotary Clubs ca-me in subsequently, .enabling the society to coniuience operations. A prpvisional executive had been set Up and the soci'ety's first conference on Jujy 10, 1935, had passed a moti,pn expressing its great appreciation to Rotary for foraning the society. One of the outstandifig donations to the society's work had been one ' of £50,000 given by Viscount Nuffield. That had been placed in a trust, the income from which was the society's largest single source pf •revenue. Subsequently Vis.aoupt Nuffield had donated a further £10,000 which had been used -in the crippled children's homes. There were 17 societies in New Zealapd and they themselves had raised about £14,000 last year, while a share of art union proceeds had also been received. In 1937, continued Mr. Grigor, the number of cases of crippled children registered with the society was 1409. Today between 4000 and 5000 were receiving attention, with many other cases yet to be discovered. There were two classes ,of cripples — those who were born with the deformity and those who became cripples through disease pr accident. Many of the cases eould be cured, but too much emphasis could not be placed on the fact that the earlier treatment was begun the greater was the chance of a complete cure. The national annual increase was about 500 cases the main causes being tuberculosis of bones, infantile paralysis and accidents. Mr. Grigor said that the Manawatu oianch, which had been founded in 1935, had 52 cases on its register by the end of the second year, while at the end of last year it had risen to 232, made up lrom the following age groups: One to five years 82, six to ten 50, eleven to fifteen 56, sixteen to twenty 42, iwenty-one and over 2. Of' the total, 44 were in the Levin subbranch's district, which extended from Fox&on to Otaki but did not include Shannon. In the case of a child in that district the Levin sub- branch investigated the eircumstanees and transmitted the details to the Manawatu branch, v/hich in turn ensured that the child received all the attention possible from modern science, together with such other assistance as was neecled and the society could provide. Touclfing ,on the form of the society's work, Mr. Grigor said that of paramount importanee was the fact that it saw that the child had access to the best medical treatment available in the Dominion, and provided assistance to parents in obtaining it. It also arranged holidays at health . camps, the supplying of artificial limbs and other necessaries, education, social contacts, vocatipnal training and flnding employment suitable to; fhe capabilities and aptitudes of the cnpple. Last year the Manawatu branch had placed 37 cases in employment, and although in some instances their deformity was a handicap they were provipg conscientious and anxious to work well. Mr. Grigor also referred to the work of the society's field officers, in the case of the Manawatu branch, Miss D. Irwin, who was also a guest at the luncheon. They discovered and registered new patients, .ensured that they received professional attention, arranged interviews, kept in touch with social organisations to find suitable employment for those seeking it and a vast amount of other detailed work. "The society's desire is to rea^ch every suffering child," remarked the speaker in concluding with an appsal that any cases known to his hearers be notified to the Levin sub-branch. Mr. Grigor and Miss Irwin were introduced by Rotarian W. H. Wal- • ker, and after several questions had been answered by them a hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Rotarian W. Davie, was carried by acclamation.