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blind person under the National Assistance Act, 1948, is that the person
is "so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which eyesight is
essential". In considering this matter there are two important points
to be noticed, viz.:-
(i) the test is not whether the person is unable to pursue
his ordinary occupation or any particular occupation,
but whether he is too blind to perform any work for
which eyesight is essential; and
(ii) only the visual conditions are taken into account and
other bodily or mental infirmities are disregarded.
The number of persons newly registered as blind during 1966 was
twenty-two men and fifty-three women, a total of seventy-five. Table I
(page 118), showing the distribution of age groups, includes that figure
and shows a total number of 443 registered blind persons ordinarily
resident in the borough.
The greater number of new registrations are in the age groups of
sixty-five and over, which is consistent with figures produced for
national statistics.
The analysis of causes of blindness in newly registered persons
shown in Table II (page 119 ) indicates no change in the general pattern.
An analysis of the register showing the education, training and
employment position is given in Tables III and IV (pages 119 and 120).
It will be seen that a total of 314 persons are over sixty-five
years of age, leaving a balance of 131 adults, of whom 50 are either not
available for, or not capable of, work.
Each Tuesday afternoon, a social club for the blind is held at the
Council's Rehabilitation Centre, Gertrude Street. A social welfare
officer, who is also a qualified home teacher, organises the club which
has twenty-four members. Games equipment is provided and other
activities include a Christmas party and an outing.
Close liaison is maintained with voluntary organisations, viz.,
the Royal National Institute for the Blind; the London Association for
the Blind; the Southern Regional Association for the Blind;
St. Dunstan's and the National Library for the Blind. Referrals for
employment and training are made to the Disablement Resettlement
Officer of the Ministry of Labour, with whom consultation is arranged
in cases of special difficulty.
The number of home visits made to blind persons during the year
was 1,641.
A brief summary of the special facilities available to registered
blind persons is given below:-
Free wireless on loan from the Wireless for the Blind Fund
Free wireless licence
Free dog licence (for guide dogs)
Special postal rates for Braille literature
Free issue of white walking sticks
Loan of special equipment in approved instances
(i.e., talking books)
Free bus passes for escorts
Free railway fares for guide for special purposes
Braille literature