BLIND SOLDIERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1941, Page 2

BLIND SOLDIERS

INSTRUCTIONS ANO TRAINING

FINE GESTURE AT LANGDALE.

MOUNTED RIFLE TROOP GIVES FINANCIAL HELP.

On Saturday, at the Langdale Domain. No. 3 Troop of the sth Squadron of the Independent Mounted Rifles were visited by representatives of the Institute for the Blind in the persons of Mr Simmonds (Palmerston North) and Mr and Mrs H. E. Pither (Wairarapa). With them came Mi’ Harry Humphreys, of Carterton, a returned soldier blinded in this war, and his mother, Mrs Humphreys.

During the lunch hour, Mr Pilmer introduced the visitors to the members of the Troop. Mr Simmonds spoke of the work already done by the Blind Institute and stressed the necessity of seeing that adequate accommodation was made available for the instruction and training of any men who might return blinded from the war. He went on to say that once the curtain of blindness had descended on a man, the whole of his past life was cut off, and from then onwards he had to readjust his whole existence to the changed conditions. The Blind Institute in Auckland was the only place in New Zealand where patients were trained to become useful, self-supporting citizens.

He explained that apart from the teaching of arts and crafts, it was an immense task to put into Braille technical works, text books, etc., which had enabled members of the institute to qualify for high University examinations. He thanked the Troop for donating half its pay to the Blind Institute, to be spent on helping any members of the fighting forces blinded in this war. He pointed cut that the No. 3 Troop were the pioneers in this movement, and he sincerely .hoped that they had started a scheme which would spread throughout New Zealand. As a returned soldier, blinded in this war, Mr Humphreys briefly thanked the men for their help, which, he said, would always.be appreciated. It was suggested by Mrs Pither that trustees be appointed to control the fund on behalf of the Troop. Lieutenant Pilmer and Troopers I. Balfour and L. Meredith were elected. After having lunch, the visitors returned to town.'