HELPING THE BLIND

Shannon News, 5 April 1928, Page 3

HELPING THE BLIND

SIR ARTHUR PEARSON MEMORIAL FUND.

FINAL MEETING OF COMMITTEE £02,175 RAISED.

The Committee of the Sir Arthui Pearson Memorial Fund held its fina; mooting on Wednesday', March 14th at Auckland, the Chairman. Mr Clutha Mackenzie presiding. In pro srnting bis final report the Ghairman said that, following upon Sir Arthur’;death in .1921, the Committee had bce;i set up to raise a Fund as a niomoria. to his great services to the Bl't’ul, its practical purpose being to provide the Jubilee Institute for the Blind with a regular income to be applied to Aftei Care work amongst the blind commun itv throughout the Dominion; much of the Institute’s effort at that time being rendered unproductive owing to its inability to furnish the money re quired to start capable blind ’ people in the occupations they had mastered The public had responded to th? appeal most generously, and the Com mittee’s had been crowned with success. The accounts throughout had been audited and certified to by the Government Audit Deartment. By March 31sL., 1927, the Committee had handed to tho Trustees of tho Tnsti tute the sum of £41,060/9/11. Thu year’s payments would total £616/8/ 10. In addition the Christchurch City Council had agreed to contribute two further installments of £250 each duringi the next two years, bringing its total grant to £IOOO. Lengthy negotiations with the G»v ernment on the subject of Subsidy had terminated with the acceptance of « State grant of £20,000, so that the total capital amount which the Com mitteo had been instrumental in so curing for the Institute for the pur poses of the Fund was £62,175/15/9. One matter for congratulation was that the total expenses of the Com mittee had been only £6BO/10/5, ' ’em proxinratcly 1-1 per cent, or, if the Government •‘contribution was included, just over 1 nor cent. Particulai thanks were duo to Mr. Norman Williams for the splendid way in whic! be had filled the post of lion. Trcasur er.

There was now no longer any nocos sity for the continuance of the Com nuttee, and he, Mr. Mackenzie, woulf recommend that the outstanding bal ance, together with books and papers should be handed over to the Trusters of the Institute as from March 3.lst. and that the Committee' bo dissolvco They could not but be grateful to the public and to the Government for tin very generous way in which they hue supported the Fund. He wished tin Institute every success with the fur* in the development of its splendio work. Already' with its help an ox tensive organisation had been sot ui which had been able to give unto!* joy to blind people in every part of the Dominion. He thanked the mem , bers of the Committeo for their kind ly co-operation.

In moving that the Committee b( dissolved, the Hon. George Fowhb stated that the original figure askm. for from the public, was £45,000 £41,675/15/9 had been received, anr the deficiency was due to the fad that the Committee had acquiesced ua suggestion from the Trustees that the Pearson Fund appeal shuld gL'f way as fay as Auckland \vas concern od to the Blind Institute Building Fund, which had realised £17,000 Since the initiation of the fund in 1922, the Government- had establish or a pension for the blind and the equip ment of the Institute had been over hauled and fine buildings erected. IT' thought it would be difficult to find country where thcro wore botte provisions for the welfare- of the sightless. The motion was seconded by Mr Charles Rhodes and carried.