THE AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13738, 20 May 1910, Page 8

THE AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

AN APPEAL. In the course of an interview with Mr McKinney, who is the chairman of the Bazaar Committee of*the Ambulance Brigade, he gave some information with respect to tho appeal which will shortly be made to the public in aid of the Brigade funds. The Brigade is composed of ambulance) divisions and nursiqg divisions, the members of which holel the St. John certificates. Ono of the conditions of membership is that they will be willing to do public duty. This includes attendance at football matches, race meetings, shows, aud othe,r public gatherings. It will thus bo seen that thc Brigade is an institution which renders valuable service in the interests of the public at large. It has no funds of it's own, and in tho past has had to be dependent upon the St. John Ambulance Association for the necessary assistance to cany on its work. But as thc Government havo declined to give a subsidy on the moneys collected, and also that lecturers in connection with the Association now charge for their services, which is a severe drain on tho funds of the St. John Ambulance Association, it is unable to afford the financial assistance given in the past. Tho Brigade, under these circumstances, has been thrown on its own resources to raise the requisite funds necessary to enable it to cany on its operations. It has therefore been arranged to hold a bazaar in aid of the funds of the Brigade, and also to euable it to repay some portion of the money advanced to it by tho Association. Prior, however, to the bazaar being hold, tho Brigade havo determined to give a concert on June 9th, in aid of the expenses attendant on the preliminary working out of tho details connected with tho bazaar. This, it is honed, the nnblic will aid liberally by taking tickets, as all tho money realised by the bazaar will be utilised for the public benefit. For the bazaar a very strong committee has been organised, and it is intended to provide a series of unique entertainments during the oeriod. As this is the principal source from which the Brigade hone to raise sufficient funds to enable them to carry on their work, it is highly necessary that the greatest amount of public support should be given to the project. The committee, therefore, express a hone that tho bazaafc will be largely patronised. It may be pointed out that the* Association ami tho Brigade, though having tho welfare of the public as an obiect in common, aro two separate and distinct bodies. Tho Association provides stretchers, Jitters, first-aid kits, etc., and tho Brigade the trained members. Tho money collected on Ambulance Saturday does not, as some people suppose. 150 to tho Brigade. It is used for providing -by the Association thc various articles referred to, which are distributed in various centres in Christchurch and suburbs.