MAKOGAI LEPER STATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 3 August 1937, Page 2

MAKOGAI LEPER STATION.

(To the Editor.) Sir.—Christmas will soon he here with its festivities and its associations of peace and goodwill. On the little island of Makogai in the Fiji group there are 349 men. 160 women, 38 boys, 21 girls, all resident leper patients. Some of these afflicted people look forward to complete recovery, but other victims in advanced stages of the disease wait patiently tor the happy release of death. These brothers and sisters of ours have looked to us for the past 10 years to send them Father Christmas. A short time ago I received a pathetic message from a blind European patient from New Zealand on this isle of pain. He asked that we would not torget them at Christmas time. This patient has since died. In Afay last I received two more letters from two young married half-caste leper women at Makogai, who came froni the Cook Islands, our dependencies in the Pacific. These two women expressed deep gratitude for the help given them, and pV«<lerl for a continuation of this assistance.

1 therefore feel that it is my duty, as well as a pleasure, to appeal to your readers on their behalf. AA*e may not he able to cure these friends of ours, but we certainly can help to alleviate their sufferings. Gifts 1 for Christmas mav he sent to me care of the Christchurch Gas Company’s Office, AA’orcester Street, and all donations will be acknowledged bv a personal letter. All parcels for the lepers mav he sent bv Post Office at half the ordinary rates if addressed to me and marked for the “Atakogai Lepers.” Gifts of money will enable us to purchase goods which mav be in short supply. Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, AI D.. J.P., is associated with me in this appeal as trustee. AVe feel deeply grateful for the help given us in. past years, and we trust to receive this support once again.—l am. etc., P. J. TAYOAIEY. Honorary Collector. Christchurch. August 2. 1937.