INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND.

Evening Star, Issue 3584, 18 August 1874, Page 3

INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND.

In the Legislative Council the Hon. Colonel BitETTmoved.—“That this Council deem it desirable that an asylum should be established in a central position in the Colony for support, education, and instruction in trades of the blind, deaf, and dumb residing in Hew Zealand.” . He supported the motion by pointing out that it wag the duty of a Christian community to allevja'e the condition of those afflicted as described, and considered that that duty had been hitherto neglected. The first insbtiution for the amelioration of theconditun of the deaf, dumb, and blind was established in France, in the year 1790. A year afterwards, the example was followed both in Scotland and England. In France, there were upwards of 30,000 of those unfortunate creatures, and 40 institutions. In Great Britain, there were 19 institutions, in America, 32 with 3,500 patients. In the sister Colony of vjctom, there were 78 deaf and dumb patients in an institution, JS'o mention was made of the number of blind, and he presumed they would amount to about the same number as the deaf and dumb.' ' According to the census fakenin 1871, the number of deaf, dumb, and baud persons in the Colony amounted to 72 1 he census for the present year showed as folloirg :—ln - Otago, deaf| and dumb,- 14; , **» *3; in Marlborough, deaf and dumb, o * ur!i ’ *. n Wetland, deaf and dumb, 3; blind, 2; in Canterbury, deaf and dumb, n j * * a Auckland, deaf and dumb, 9 ; bund, 19 ; in Taranaki, deaf and dumb, 2; hand, 3 j in Wellington, deaf and dumb, *.» j 1 „ 1 » 10 Nelson, deaf and dumb; ‘2 ; blind 3. 9-he total for the Colony being 47 deaf and dumb, and 66 blind ; in all, 113 It was imperative upon them to alleviate their sufferings and enable them to be taught to read and write, so as to enjoy the blessing God had given in that Holy Book which commanded all to “search the b'eripture.” H is idea was that the institution should ho central, htcause it would not cost the country much ; whereas, 1 if inst tutions were established in the different Provinces, the cost of maintenance would he much greater,

owing to the larger staff that would be required. If there was only one establishment, the Colony would be able to afford an effi. cient staff and more attention, and the system could be carried on with greater care than if the asylnma were scattered all over the Colony. When the children were instructed in technical education, and in reading and writing, they would be able to return to their homes, and perhaps contribute towards their own support in after life. At present, only the hiiher classes were enab’rd to educate their afflicted children. Be believed that, after two or three years, the institution would be self-supporting, and no drain on the country. He wanted a place where the pior creatures could be taught to read and write and be instructed iu trades, so as to make them independent of tlmr relatives in old age. There were in the Colony charitable aid societies, hospitals, lunatic asylums, orphan asylums, and reformatories for the unfortunates, and for wicked boys and girls. He earnestly appealed to the Council not to be deaf, dumb, and blind to his poor, humble, and feeble entreaties.

The Hon. Captain Fraser rose to second the motion of his honorable friend. It would be allowed that the honorable gentleman deserved great credit for having brought this subject again before the Council, and for the manner in which he had treated it. He (Captain Fraser) must admit that he was entirely in favor of the subject; and he was shocked to find that there were so many of the unfortunate creatures referred to in the motion, residing in the Colony. They were spending millions ; and he thought, with his honorable friend, that a few hundreds might be spared for the establishment of an institution in some part of the country. He had no doubt that any efforts of the Government m that direction would be largely supplemented by private charity.