WORK FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

Southland Times, Issue 24825, 18 August 1942, Page 4

WORK FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

STREET DAY TOMORROW Because of the depletion of its original capital, the Southland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society has found it necessary to appeal to the public for financial assistance in carrying on its work. A street day will be held in the eity tomorrow.

In an interview yesterday Mr V. J. Wise, president of the branch, said there were 111 crippled children on the society’s . roll and a total of 600 visits had been paid by visiting officers during the last financial year. The branch had spent more than <£6oo on its work during the last year, and its income had been less than £2OO. There had been a substantial deficiency and the original capital with which the branch began its operations had been greatly reduced. The branch had enabled crippled children, to be sent to other centres for the advice of specialists. It had arranged transport to hospitals for massage and treatment, and had provided for speech training, typewriting, shorthand, music and dress-making lessons for cripples. It had provided invalid chairs, surgical boots and general comforts such as outings to the beach and Christmas parties. Fourteen clinics had been held during the year at which the local honorary medical officers had made 64 examinations.

The greatest need of the society, said Mr Wise, was a home which would be in the nature of a boarding school for the children. It would provide the children with a change of environment and opportunities for taking some form of study or work. The crippled child was unable to participate in the pleasures of normal children, and consequently was thrown largely on its own resources. Unless it received a fairly good education it could not interest itself. ■ A home was the goal for the future of the branch, and although it could not be attained for some years it should be kept steadily in view.