The Blind Barrister.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8100, 29 May 1906, Page 8

The Blind Barrister.

♦ His Wonderful Achievements. Air Neville Gilbert MeWilliam, the New Zealander who was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of New South "Wales last week, has never known the value ot eyesight. Having been born blind only the most extraordinary perseverance and pluck could eaable him to a tain las ambition in this respect. Throughout his career he had to invent various devices to assist him n? hts work, especially in mathematics, and still more particularly in Euclid. It is estimated that he had"to put in thrice the amount of work which would fall to the lot of a candidate in possession of his sight, yet he went through without hsviog received the slightest concession. In his writing he used the Braille system, and to enable him to economise time he worked out a method of shorthand which admittcd of hts keeping pace with a moderate speaker, Mr Ale William is fond of sport. He attends cricket and football matches; indeed, he has taken part sn the winter game, his strong point being energy m the scrum. He is a keen follower of swimming, eau row, play the piano, at which he will sit for hours improvising. Having a baritone voice, he was for eight years a member of the ehoir of Christ Church, North Sydney. He ia qoito at home at the chess or draught board, at dominoes, whist, and cribb (he has his own special pack), and he can use the typewriter. As he will be called upon to sign hia name ho baa had the letters deeply cut into wood, and he practices his signature by tracing a pencil in tho grooves. That he is a wonderful judge of locality was shown recently by the brisk manner tn which he bounded up a few steps and made his way to the Judge's associate to take the oath, lie had been bnt onee before over the ground. Mr MeWilliam is largely indebted io two sisters for his successful career, for while going through his arts course they took turns in reading to him.