ST, JOHN AMBULANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 237, 6 October 1932, Page 5

ST, JOHN AMBULANCE

STREET APPEAL TO-MORROW.

RECORD OF SERVICE. OBLIGATION OF CITIZENS. To-morrow there will be made the annual street appeal of the St. John Ambulance Association, an appeal which, if judged by service given, is one most deserving of support. The association to-morrow launches a campaign to raise £3000.

There is scarcely need to remind an Auckland public of the good that the association does. It matters not what the call ie, whether the case ie serious or not, where the call is. from, the responso is just the same—efficient and sufficient, 'iho eight of the field-grey ambulances wiiirriiig through, the streets of the city is so common that, like many another valuable adjunct to our city life, people take them for granted. During the week-end officers are in attendance at every sports fixture. Nurses visit the homes of the poor, and because of that very fact, much of the good done must needs be unknown and unadvertised. Down at the Queen's wharf station treat: uent is given to 4000 accident cases a year, and the accident ward at Rutland Street is ever open. Those who have played any game from football to hockey do not need to be told of th« work done.

Visitors have often mentioned the nursing eervice which is part of the system of the association. Over SOOO visits are made regularly a year. The St. John Ambulance will ever be associated with the Kawke'e. 73ay earthquake. Then the motto of the drivers who went down to that stricken area was "anywhere there is a road we will go," and they did. It is a matter of pride to the members that their organisation has reached a pitch when it can and does provide service 24 hours out of the 24. It does not matter at what time a call comes.

Of late the services of the association have been extending further into the province. More and more long tripe are being undertaken to bring sick and injured persons into hospital.

But these things cost money and once started they must be carried out. For the ambulance people once their hand is put to the plough, there can be no turn ing back. For that reason they dare not start any service that is going to fail for lack of funds. . That is the reason for the appeal to-morrow. Every local body has recognised the fine work being done. Every borough except one willingly gave permission for a street collection to be held in the respective districts. TJhere will not be many to-morrow who will not wear the little hadge of the association. ONEHUNGA NURSING DIVISION. The Onehunga nursing division of St. John Ambulance completed a year's work last night, when the annual examinations and inspections were conducted by Commissioner C. J. Tunks, assisted by Mrs. Cammell, lady corps superintendent, Mr. F. J. Hutchinson, assistant commissioner, and Messrs. Hitchon, Frobert and Goodram, district officers.

Doctors C. E. A. Coldicutt and Neil McDougall conducted the examinations in nursing, and announced that all the candidates had achieved a high standard of efficiency. The nursing cadets were also congratulated by the examiners on the progress they had made in their first year of study.

Reference was made by Dr. McDougall to the loss suffered by the corps by the death of Dr. Caukwell. Dr. A; L. Noakes was appointed in his place as divisional surgeon.

The annual report recorded the success of the division in winning in open competition the Horsley. Gup, the SmithHathaway Kose Bowl and the Auckland Cup, and securing second place in the test for the Nurse Saunders Jones Cup. Mention was also made that the lady divisional superintendent, Mrs. C. Bassett, had been presented with the insignia of the Order of St. John in recognition of her services to the division, and that Mrs. Smith's trophy had been won by Miss Vera Hastie. The hon. secretary, Miss M. L. Scopes, reported that during the year 143 cases of public duty and 65 cases of private duty had received attention. In addition ,to these divisional cases, district' Nurse Soden had attended. upward of 50 cases in Onehunga.