HOME FOR THE BLIND.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 489, 16 July 1890, Page 4

HOME FOR THE BLIND.

MEETING OF SUBSCRIBERS.

Aucklaud July 10.

•• A meeting of persona interested in the formation of a home for the blind coupled with a teaching institute was held last .. night in the lecture hall of the Y.M.C.A. Booms. Thore was a fair attendance, which would no doubt have been larger had the hour ot meeting been 8 o’clock instead of 7.30. Mr J. H. Upton (Mayor) occupied the chair. On the platform were: Rev. Dr. Cowie (Anglican Bishop), Rev. Dr. . Luck (Roman Catholic Bishop), Mr John Abbott, Dr. J. L. Campbell, Pastor Birch, Mr W. Thorne, Mr T. W. Leys, and Mr Tighe, the blind teacher. Amongst tho audience were: Rabbi Goldstein, Revs. Burrows, Bates, P. Mason, Dr. Purchas, tho Venerable Archdeacon Dudley, and many leading professional and commercial gentlemen. Tho Chairman read apologies for nonattendance from the Revs. Mncnicol and Nolson, also from Mr A. E. T. Devore stating that tho surplus from the Jubilee fund was £155. Mr Upton also explained that Professor Carrollo had kindly postponed the meeting of his gymnasium upstairs in order that the students should not . interfere with the progress of the meeting. . (Applause.) Mr Upton said that the citizens of Auckland would nob forget what took place during the Jubilee celebrations in the earlier part of the year. The entertainments provided then gave pleasure to those who attended. Some £6OO was subscribed for that purposo, and it was generally feU that something more permanent should be done to colebrate the Jubilee. The surplus of £155 was set apart for that purpose. One consequence was that Captain Cook, Captain Hobson, and Her 'Majesty had a narrow escape from having busts erected to their memory. Whilst the Committee were deliberating, in a room in Parnell Mr John Abbott was writing a letter to the newspapers proposing that the surplus should be devoted to tho foundation of an institution for the benefit of the blind. (Applause.) His efforts were, earnestly supported by both papers. Prior to that there wns, however, already in existence an institution for tho benefit of the blind, inaugurated under the auspices of Bishop Cowie. As it was not desirable that there should be two institutions, Bishop Cowie favoured the union with the present movement, and consequently the sum of £3OO would bo added to tho funds already collected. There was another matter. This was notan Auckland but a colonial movement, and therefore he thought it would bo wise to invite subscriptions from the other large towns in New Zealand. There were one hundred and eighty-six blind persons in New Zealand, a smaller number proportionally than in other places. In England something like £600,000 per annum was subscribed for the benefit of the blind, so that although they ~ had already done well, still there was room - for more subscriptions. Mr John Abbott was received with ap plause. He said that his emotional nature was moved far too deeply to fully express the feeling of his heart. He had found his inspiration for this mission in the twelfth . chapter of Romans, which he advised all to read. He was proud to recognise the band of gentlemen who had assisted in this work, such as Bishop Cowie and Mr Devore. He had also been assisted by the press—that force by which all mighty movements had been carried forward. At present the iund stood as follows:—Subscribed by 1,051 friends, £1,125 7s 6d ; Jubilee surplus, £155 ; Friends of the Blind fund, £3OC. It had also been agreed that subscribers of £lO 10s should be life members. As there were 36 of these, a sum of £378 had been added, making the tota . subscriptions to amount to £1,958. Then .they would go to the Government for their pound for pound subsidy, which would make something like £4,400. In addition to what had been collected, be had promises from many that they would keep the institution vital. In the future, no doubt, legacies would be left the institution, and thus they would ultimately have a fitting memorial of the Jubilee of this colony. He considered that the most wonderful of men were blind. He referred to John Milton, tho great English poet, and Samson, the man who tore the lion as the lion rends the kid. Mr Abbott concluded by moving, “That an institution, to be called the Jubilee Industrial School for the Blind, be opened in Auckland.” Bishop Cowie seconded the motion. He said that tho Association of the Friends . of the Blind was formed in Auckland last April. The object of that Association was to render immediate assistance to persons suffering from blindness, of whom they found 30 in and around Auckland. Mr Tighe was engaged and had made a tour of "the colony, and found no less than 70 persons suffering from blindness in other parts of tho colony. They had looked forward to the time when they could build an asylum for tho biind, but ho did not believe that was required at present. He might mention that all tho work in connection with that Association had been done by the Rev. Mr Bates. Their Association had no wish to stand in the way of the present movement, and would therefore join with it. With regard to the help to be expected from be considered that whatever Government was in power it would be the trustees for the people of the colony, and if anyono wa3 to have tho benefits of education, the blind had a right to teaching the same as others who could see. They bad first collected money amongst themselves and now had a right to go to tho Government. It was an assurance that the public had a personal interest in the blind that they had first contributed towards the amelioration of their condition. Mr Tighe next addressed the meeting. H© expressed pleasure at being asked to address those present; still there was but little left for him to say. They must remember that they were commencing a work that should last for thousands of years. They should bank the money collected, and let the interest feed the object for which it was collected. They would require to teach a few-at first,-in order to have teachers tor others who wore blind. The .Committee would find it a difficult thing to manage an institution for the blind. They must gain all the -information that they could. • Wbrt.tfiey wanted to do was tQ_BoeJ}ht

blind of New Zealand as nearly self-sup* porting as they could be. When they saw that they would bo pleased that they had helped on this work. His own teacher had been Mr Prescott, an old New Zealander. A man was eent over to New Zealand to start a school for tho blind but he returned to Australia artd said there were no blind. He (the speaker) came over in 1838, and called at the Star Office, where he was told by Mr Geddis where to find friends. A few days later a nice paragraph was read to him from the Star, and that brought to hie knowledge five other blind persons. The real reason that they did not know the number of blind here was because none of them were beggars. The first persons who helped him here were Mr C. Atkin and Sir George Grey. He next got introduced to Bishop Cowie, who showed that ho was interested in the movement, and the institution of tho Friends of tho Blind was the result. He felt that the people in the South would assist liberally ; all they wanted was another John Abbott to rouse them a little. He might mention that at. a meeting of the blind it had been resolved that he should tender their thanks to the Committee, the press, the subscribers, and all who have taken any part in this work, and especially to Mr John Abbott.

The motion was adopted. The Chairman then moved, “That the School shall be open to all blind persons in the colony of New Zealand. Bishop Luck soconded this motion, and said that it only expressed what must necessarily bo the case of an institution of this sort. Unless something was done towards instructing the blind to gain their own livelihood, they would be shut out of everything, therefore such an institution should bo open to all the blind in this colony. The resolution was adopted. The next resolution was, “That the object of the Institute shall be the amelioration of the condition of the blind, by providing instruction in elementary knowledge, and such handicrafts as will enable them to earn their living, and in such other ways as may be deemed advisable by the Managing Committee.” This was carried on the motion of tho Mayor, seconded by Mr Joseph Newman. The Chairman further moved, “ That tho sum of money collected, mainly by the exertions of Mr John Abbott and other friends, bo applied to the purpose of instituting such an Institute.” Mr VV. L. Rees suggested that as tho Institute was to be open to the whole colony, subscriptions should be invited from other parts besides this city. It was a national object toward which all should contribute. As instances of great blind men, Mr Rees mentioned Homer, who formed the minds of Greece, and in later day* Mr Fawcett, the blind PostmasterGeneral of England. The motion was adopted. The motion, “That the Government be requested to supplement tho amount in hand by a grant of money,” was adopted without any dissent. The next resolution moved by the Chairman was, “ That the following gentlemen shall bo trustees of the money:—Mr Justice Conolly, Dr. J, L. Campbell, Messrs J. H. Upton, A. E. T. Devore, W. Hill, and J. Abbott.” On the motion of Mr Carr, it was added that vacancies arising from the following causes be filled at the ensuing annual meeting : Death, resignation, bankruptcy, or absence from the colony for 12 months.

Mr Upton further moved, “That the system of education in the Institute shall be the same as that adopted in the blind schools in England.” Bishop Luck asked if that would preclude each denomination from bringing up their children in its own faith.

Mr Upton said that the education referred only to handicrafts and arts, whereupon the motion was passed. It was further resolved that the Governor of the colony shall be President of the Instituto, and the Mayors of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunodin, Nelson, Napier, New Plymouth, Invercargill and Blenheim Vice-Prosidents. It was also decided that tho Managing Committee Ehould consist of 24 members, 12 of whom were to retire annually, the vice-presidents and trustees to be members cx officio. The meeting also agreed that tho trustees shall, until otherwise directed by the subscribers, invest the money on first mortgages on freehold property, and pay the interest accruing from the eame to the Managing Committee. The next resolution adopted was that the income of the Institute shall consist of interest upon investments, annual subscriptions, donations, contributions from the blind themselves, and money received from other sources, life subscribers’ payments to be considered as capital. It was also resolved (thab the Managing Committee shall, at annual meetings of subscribers, submit complete accounts of all receipts and expenditure. The meeting further agreed that two auditors should be appointed at each annual meeting, Messrs Barber and Camerion being appointed for the ensuing year. The annual meeting was fixed to be held in the month of July each year, lb was aleo resolved that an annual payment of 10s 6d should entitlo a person to become a subscriber, and £lO 10s a life member. The following gentlemen were appointed as a Committee of Management:—Bishops Cowie and Luck, Pastor Birch, Rev. J. Bates, Messrs H. Brett, J. T. Boylan, W. H. Colbeck, L. D. Nathan, W. Thorne, E. Withy, J. Newman, T. XV. Leys, J. Thornes, J. C. Macky, C. C. McMillan, J. Ross, S. Vickers, J. Dilworth, W. H. Smith, W. Swanson, J. L. Wilson, E. T. Dufanr, and J, P. Pierce. On tho motion of Mr W. L. Rees, it was agreed that the Committee request sympathy and aid from all parts of the colony, through local Committees appointed in various centres of population. The Rev. J. Bates moved thfifc the name be changed to that of the Jubilee Institute for tho Blind. This was seconded by Pastor Birch and agreod to. Bishop Luck moved that a vote of thanks be accorded to the- members of the Auckland Y.M.C. Association for kindly lending their loom foi such a truly Christian purpose. This was seconded by Dr. Purchas and agreed to. Pastor Birch moved a vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding. He said he Mas glad to see them engaged that night in this work of practical godliness. This was agreed to, and on the motion of Mr W. J. Speight a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr John Abbott for the excellent result of his labour. Mr Abbott briefly returned thanks and the meeting closed.