GOLDEN JUBILEE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 192, 28 May 1945, Page 5

GOLDEN JUBILEE

VENERABLE ORDER OF ST. JOHN. CELEBRATIONS AT ASHBURTON BANQUET PRINCIPAL FEATURE The principal feature of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Ashburton sub-Centre of the Venerable Order of St. John during the -week-end was a banquet in the Returned Services’ Association hall on Saturday, evening. The president of the sub-ceiitre (Mr G. A. Gilchrist) presided. Among those present were Sir Heaton Rhodes, K.B.E. (Knight Justice of the Order of St. John and Knight Commander of the Commandery in New Zealand), Mr R. G. Gerard, M.P., the Mayor (Mr E. C: Bathurst), the County Chairman (Mr H. C. B. Withell), Commander C. H. Kersley (secretary of the Canterbury and West Coast Centre), Messrs C. Falconer (of the Commandery, Wellington), B. J. McKenna (president of the Canterbury and West Coast Centre), W. G. Welsh (president of the Returned Services’ Association), Major J. W. Crampton (assistant commissioner for Canterbury and the West Coast), Lieutenant T. F. S. Rudd (senior district superintendent), Mrs M. Cordy (lady district nursing superintendent), Mr A. T. Smith (Ashburton Corps Officer). Tiie Mayor, proposing the toast of “the Venerable Order of St. John,’’ paid tribute to the work of the association, particularly in 1942, when members volunteered to instruct personnel of the Emergency Precautions Scheme. “The history of the Order of St. John is the history of brave men and brave women,” Sir Heaton Rhodes in reply. *To-day the men and women of the order by their work, were living up to the motto, “For Service of Mankind.” Tracing the history of the order, he said the first known hospital was that of the Knights of Jerusalem in 603. It was destroyed later by the Mad Caliph of Egypt and was restored in 104 S by Italian merchants of Amalfi. The knights transferred their headquarters to Rhodes, and later to Malta, where they withstood a siege. In this war the people of Malta put up a light as the knights of old. Position To-day. What of to-day? asked Sir Heaton. The Ophthalmic Hospital, Jerusalem, had 1173 in-patients last year, 130,113 attendances, and 2964 operations, indicating that the good work for humanity begun by the knights was still being carried on. Another example was the clinic for rheumatism established in London, which treated 51,251 patients last year. Working in friendly co-operation with the. Red Cross Society, the m rmbtrs of the Order of St. John had given that great service during the blitz of London. In 1944 there were 14,542 trained personnel in St. John Ambulance Brigades in New Zealand, 81,901 first-aid cares were attended, 1944, blood donors were provided, 24,260 visits were paid to cases in private homes, and there were 10,156 clinic cases. The toast of “Kindred Associations” v;as proposed by Mr A. T. Smith ami replied to by Mrs F. Curtis (chairman of the Mid-Canterbury Centre of the Red Cross. Society), ard Miss V. E. Dearsley (Matron of the Ashburton Public Hospital). Commander Kersley proposed the toast of “The Ashburton Sub-Centre.” The jubilee cake was cut by Miss M. E. Watson, who has had the longest service of existing members of the nursing division. Dedipation Ceremony. There wp,s a good congregation at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church yesterday afternoon for the jubilee ceremony. Members of the Mid-Canter-bury Centre of the Red Cross Society and Ashburton Returned Services’ Association attended. In his address the Rev. J. S. Murray traced the history of the Order of St. John which, be said, was part of a great and noble institution which, through many centuries, had sought to defend Christian faith and express the Christian spirit in generous service to the needy. The lesson was read by Sir Heaton Rhodes. The singing was led by tlie combined Presbyterian and, Methodist choirs, under the conductorship of Mr W. H. Vaughan, with Miss L. Watts at the organ. Mr Claude O’Hagan, of Christchurch,, sang “Land of Hope and Glory,” accompanied by the choir. The recently-acquired ambulance was dedicated before the service, the president of the association (Mr G. A. Gilchrist) calling on the Mayor to hand over the ambulance to Sir Heaton Rhodes. Mr Murray offered a prayer of dedication. After the service a wreath was placed on the Cenotaph and a brief prayer of rememberance was led by Mr Murray. FIRST AID DISPLAY. Ideal weather favoured tlie commences mi t of the. celebrations of the 50tli anniversary of the Ashburton Sub-Centre of the Venerable Order ot St John, at the camping ground of the Domain oil Saturday afternoon. The celebration took the. form of a demonstration of first aid and stretchei diill. There was a fairly good attendance of the public. An official party from Christchurch included the Assistant Commissioner

for Canterbury and the West Coast (Major J. M. Crampton)), the Divisional Superintendent for Canterbury hud the West Coast (Lieutenant F. S. Rudd), the Lady District Superintendent (Mrs M. Cordy) and Mrs- Rudd, who is a corporal of the Christchurch Nursing Division. . . . The Ashburton Ambulance Division (under Divisional Superintendent H. Lane), the Ashburton Nursing Division (under Ladv Superintendent Miss F. E. Vesty) and the TStJwald Ambulance Division (under First Ambulance Officer R. Tarbofton) by their demonstrations. gave the public an. insight into the work of the Brigade. A “patient” "who had received a fractured spine in a fall from a telegraph pole was attended by No. 1 party of the Ashburton Ambulance Division, being transferred from a stretcher to the ambulance and taken to the “hospital,” where members of the Nursing Division were in attendance. The second “casualty” was a “jaywalker” who suffered a fractured femur when knocked down by a motorcar. This case was attended by the Tinwald Division. A “casualty” suffering from electric shock and burns, hanging from the cross-arm of a pole by his safety belt, rescued by Ashburton No. 2 party. Artificial respiration was applied, burns treated and the “patient” transferred to hospital. A female “patient” suffering from a broken leg, shock and scalp wounds was treated by the Nursing. Division. Tinwald No. 2 party treated a patient with a fractured patella. The final demonstration was the method of carrying a patient by a band sea*, this being given by two Tinwald members. A running commentary on each case was given by Mr Lane through a loud speaker, and a realistic touch was produced by the. ringing of the ambulance bell as it went to the assistance of cases.