ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 302, 22 December 1898, Page 3

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR

The certificates obtained by the members of the Auckland Centre of St. John Ambulance Association were presented in St. Benedict's Hall, Newton, on Nov. 29 by Lady Ranfurly, and an address on the history of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem was given by His Excellency the Governor. There was a large attendance, the hall being fully occupied. The Governor and Lady Ranfurly were accompanied by Lord Northland, Lady Constance Kn'ok, Captain Dudley 'Alexander and Mr Garland. Outside the hall twenty-five members of. the. Medical Staff" Corps formed a guard of honour, and at the hall door the Vice-Regal party were received by Mr P. Dignan, Mayor of Auckland and President of the local centre of the Ambulance Association, Mr J. J. Holland, M.H.R.. Revs. Dr. Egan, R. Scott West and Dr. King, members of the Executive. 'God Save the Queen' was played as the party proceeded through "the hall, and on the platform Lady Ranfurly was presented with a bouquet by Mrs Rattray (wife of the secretary),' and Lady Constance Knox received a similar offering from Miss Dawson. Mr Dignan presided; and on the platform were Col. Pole Penton, Drs. Dawson, Roberton, Girdler, Walker, Grant, Pabst, Aubin and King, Rev. Dewsbury, Canon Nelson, Messrs V. E. Rice, Mackechnie, and several ladies.

The annual report, read by the secretary, thanked the Governor for consenting to give an address, and Lady Ranfurly for undertaking to present the certificates. The year had been marked by a great increase in the number of pupils. There were 52 'first aid' certificates, eight re-exami-nation vouchers, twelve nursery cer, tificates, and two medallions to be presented, while nine pupils had passed the examinations entitling them to the medallion. Since the formation of the Centre in 1892, 1400 pupils had attended lectures and had received certificates, while more than 100 had passed the re-examination entitling them to medallions. The committee reported that more calls than ever had been made in the past year on the St. John Ambulance Corps in regard to the transport of the sick. It was important that material of a more improved type should be provided. The Chairman then introduced Lord Ranfurly to the audience, and His Excellency delivered a most interesting speech. He congratulated the Auckland Centre on tht^very good report just read, and then gave a short account of the origin of. the Order of St. John and of its history. The certificates and medallions in the various classes were then presented by Lady Ranfurly. Several displays" of ambulance work were given by members of the Association. During the evening songs were rendered by Miss Crowther, Mr Kissling and Mr Gooch, and at the close the Chairman called for a vote of thanks for Lord and Lady Ranfurly, which was heartily accorded.