FRIENDS OF THE BLIND Auckland, August 9.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 394, 17 August 1889, Page 6

FRIENDS OF THE BLIND Auckland, August 9.

The monthly mooting of the Committee was held on Tuesday, August 6th. The Right Reverend" the 'Bishop of Auckland presided. Mr,Tighe, the teacher of the blind, presented tho following roport, which was read :—"I: — "I have again tp report the steady progress of the work, in all its branches, ,during the past month., I<paid iitty-two visits to the blind, for the purpose of imparting instruction and otherwise helping them. Al the blind io Auckland andsuburbs, who wished to be, taught to read, can now read Dr. Moon's books. Eighteen .persons in all hav,o thus been taught to read, and would, if in a school, be classed under C, \yhich lcttor would indicate that "they thoroughly understood the signs used by Dr, Moon. Althpugh.unablo to read from stop to stop, -or, ' in other wpi'tls, to an audience, yet they can, read fast enough to connect the sentences and mako out the meaning of what they aro reading. In explanation oi this, I may say that a blind person can road to himself and thoroughly understand what he is reading long before ho can read so as to please an audience. The majority of bhe blind at present under my tuition have reached this point. I may also mention that oub of tho oight hundred blind persons whom I have instructed during the last ten years, the most promising scholar is one . in Auckland and a nativo of New Zealand. He ..could easily pass an examination which 'would '..qualify " him for. ,_tbe position of teacher of the fourth class in' any school for the blind. I draw attention to this to show that if a teacher of the blind wero required there is ono of the blind of Auckland compebonb to ace. 1 mako it a rule to cxamino my pupils twice a year, leaving tho whole number to pick out the two .best among them, one from amone; tljo men and the other from among the women. An examination has ju&b been hold, and the names of those chosen have been recorded. During tho mouth I havo taught .several pupils ab my house. Tarn glad to be able to roport that the things made by the blind have so tar met with a ready sale. Halters made by the blind may be boughb through Mr Brace and other wholesale saddlers of the city. 1 may also Mention that fancy table ornaments and other things, the work of the blind, can be purchased from a blind hawker, in this city. I have received letters from blind peoplo living along the railway lino asking mo to crivo thorn instruction. As I can nowleavb my pupils in and around Auckland for a rime, 1 purposq visiting tho blind in other parts. Two ladies from 'Christchurch called upon mo, desiring that something should bo done for 'fiho' blind of their city. If the Committee ,wi&h ib, I shali be prepared to visit -Clifistchurch whenever it is thought advisable to do bo." The Committee consists ot the Right Rev. tho Bishop of "Auckland,,' Archdeacon Dudley, Rev. J. Bates, Dr. A. G.'Purchas, and Mr C. Afkin, by any of whom contributions in aid of tho blind will be received,