FINE RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1938, Page 10

FINE RECORD.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE.

EXTENSION OF SERVICES. ANNUAL APPEAL TO-MORROW. So smoothly and so quietly has the indispensable work of the various departments of tiic St. John Ambulance Association been going on all these years in .Auckland that the -public too often fails to regard it in its correct light. To-morrow the association will hold its annual street appeal. This year greatly increased services have been rendered by the association. The familiar fleet of grey ambulances from Rutland Street headquarters has travelled no fewer than 100.000 miles, and for another year the association can boast of having given a 24-hour service that has functioned promptly and efficiently. These extended services, together with increased expenditure as a result of recent legislation, make further funds essential to the efficient working of the organisation, and a generous response iti expected to-morrow. The transport department is that which is most familiar to the public; in the 10 ambulances during the year, 11..">(>4 patients were carried. Besides this, members of the transport staff treated ">O3B cases of injury on city wharves. Costs of organisation have been sulwtantially increased by a wages bill twice as large as hist veur.

Tlion there is the district nursing service—.a department that has been kept working hard all the year. In their small cars the nurses during the 12 months have travelled 30.(M)0 miles, visiting 14.240 patients in their own homes. At the Rutland Street ambulance headquarters, they have also interviewed and treated 3220 patients.

It is comparatively recently that the blood-transfusion service ha« re«che<l its present size. )>ut already a record for New Zealand has been established. A total of 311 members has given blood at the various hospitals, at the rote of almost one each day to aid some victim of accident or sickness. Work of "Zambuks." The sportsman also owes an inestimable debt to the because of the work of the >St. John Ambulance Brigade. Ihe black and white uniform of the "Zambuk"' is a familiar sight at all sporting functions. NO wages are paid to these fii>t-«id volunteers. year, however, a sum of £700 was granted the brigade from the proceeds of the annual appeal to provide new uniforms and equipment. Therefore, even though members give their services free, the ciist of carrying on the work is not small.

llriuade members wen? in attendance each Saturday at fir, sports grounds. Knee meeting*. football matches, processions, public gatherings ,»f every nature, kindergartens and beaches are only some of the places where they are seen. It would be difficult to imagine sport bein<' carried on without the "Zambnk." Those at the head of sporting organisations are piobably in a position to gauge the worth of the brigade more than others. And how often have they remarked "I don t know what wc would do without them ?" (See picture on illustrations nawe.^