PRACTICAL HELP

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1932, Page 7

PRACTICAL HELP

AN AUCKLAND VENTURE: ENTERPRISE OF INSTITUTE. AUCKLAND, February 29, The desire on the part of various organisations to assist married men to take up productive work on vacant suburban sections has been responsible for many new avenues of occupation being exploited. The development of some, at least, of these self-help schemes promises eventually to enable hundreds of deserving families, wmcn economic conditions have reduced to straitened circumstances to cultivate profitably the land with good prospects of rehabilitating themselves ,as useful citizens.

Some months ago the trustees of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind laid the foundations of a scheme which had for its immediate object the employment of relief workers on productive work in preparing for cultivation an area of land at Mount Roskill. Ultimately the intention is that this property will be worked by blind men and their families. Thus it is anticipated healthful outdoor occupation under congenial home surroundings) will be available for selected cases, and at the same time provide regular, supplies of fresh vegetables for the inmates of the home at Parnell.

bringing in land, The scheme new in progress of de-= velopliieiit litis fbi’ iis ¥Shtie an area of Sxeeiisilt' arable btiitlj ftbout Tl acres lil extent, oil a' gentle slope lying_ frill to the still, behind. Mount Roskilh It i 8 within a few hundred yards of the concreted estonaion of Dominion Road, and within seven miles of the institute’s headquarters. This valuable suburban property was given as a gift for the benefit of the blind people by Mr Geo. Winstone, sen., and is admirably adapted for the purpose to which it is now being applied. Up t 0 last winter it was an open paddock in rough condition and unproductive. This land has been subdivided, drained fenced and planted with shelter trees. Next it was broken in for cultivation and subsequently sown in potatoes. At the present time the place presents a prosperous picture under a boundiful harvest of potatoes and a few other seasonable vegetables. All this work was one under the supervision of the institute’s own officials, with the helpful co-operation of the Labour Bureau. As a consequence the full benefit of the improvements and i”jtial crops were obtained without expense to the local authority, and the work was very effectively carried out by relief workers, who took a genuine pride in this undertaking because they realised it was assisting a worthy cause and that they were engaged upon productive work.

FAMILY SETTLED. Recently there lias been erected on th.i s property at Mount Roskill a substantial and * comfortably-appointed cottage, This ivag occupied last month by tile first family selected by the trustees to carry on the scheme so successfully huiirphed. Upon this family’s ability to' adopt themselves to market gardening a good deal will depend. This family consists of a blind father, his wife and seven children. There are four other children, but they are otherwise provided for.