ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20624, 13 August 1932, Page 7

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

WORK OF THE WEEK. At 5 p.m. yesterday the St. John Free Ambulance had attended to 48 cases for tho week, and all but six of these were transported t--- hospitals. Eight calls on Tuesday was thd greatest number received on any one day of the week, which included a distant call from Kaiapoi. Ambulance Divisions. Members of the Christ-church Railway Menu's Ambulance Division, met on Monday evening, at the railway social hall in Carlyle street. Mrs A. Bishop, Lady District Superintendent, was also iu attendance, and, after the inspection, put members through a course of rollerbandaging, and later conducted oral work on first aid. Extra heavy public duties were undertaken by this division during race week, and the Superintendent and members are deserving of every credit for being able to fulfil their obligations in this respect. » » « The weekly meeting of the Christchurch Men's Ambulance Division was held on Wednesday evening, at the old Navy League Hall. There were twen-ty-two members on parade and ActingSuperintendent W. Palmer was in command. After tho inspection the parade was handed over to Sergeant-Major F. Rudd, who was also in attendance. The work of the evening consisted of* squad tests, and members were also given a short refresher on stretcher drill. At the conclusion of the parade Sergeant-Major Rudd expressed every satisfaction with tho manner in which the work had been carried out. • • • ■ The No. o Ambulance Division paraded, under Superintendent F. J. Ashworth, at the Brigade Rooms, on Thursday evening. There were twentyfive members on parade, and after public duties had been arranged for races, sports grounds, and Winter Show, the division was marched to the old Navy League Hal J, where a Corps lecture was given by Mr M. Kershaw, on "Household Sanitation." At the conclusion of tho lecture, Mr Kershaw •was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Nursing Divisions. The weekly meeting of the St. Matthew's branch of the brigade waa held in tho Parish Hall, Barbadoes street, on Monday evening. Mr J. Dickson, corps superintendent, was present,, and introduced the following officers:— Mrs A. Bishop (lady district superintendent), Mrs Frickcr (lady corps superintendent), and Miss Conway, the latter being welcomed as acting-super-intendent of the division. The evening was then devoted to instruction in "drill and transport." The instructors and demonstrators were much encouraged by the increased attendance.

Members of the Christchurch Nursing Division met on Monday evening, and owing to lack of room in the brigade rooms, held their parade in the old Navy League Hall. Mrs Bell presided over a good attendance, and arranged for public duties at the Winter Show, Arthur's Pass, and Linwood Park. Owing to the increasing number of calls made on the St. John Free Ambulance, it was also arranged that six nursing sisters report for duty on the ambulance during the week-days. Tho results of corps annual rethat all members had been successful in passing. Later in the evening Mrs Fricker, lady corps superintendent, attended and put squads through first-aid tests. At tho conclusion of the parade, Mrs Fricker complimented Mrs Bell and members on the evening's work. Tho Selwyn Nursing Division met at the brigade rooms on Tuesday evening, when Miss Best, lady ambulance officer, presided over a good attendance of members. Duties for the week were arranged, and members practised first-aid work, while Mrs Bishop, who was also present, supervised team work in preparation for the competitions.

Members of the Beckenham Division paraded in full strength, under Mrs Gay, lady superintendent. Public duties were arranged for the Winter Show, playing fields, and on the St. John Free Ambulance during the week. The division was then marched to the old Navy League Hall, where a lecture was given by Mr M. Kershaw ofl "Household Sanitation." This is <rne of a series of corps lectures which hayo been arranged. Members Decorated. The following members wore decorated by his Excellency the GovernorGeneral on Monday morning last:*-Lieutenant-Colonel F. B. Creswell, 0.8. E., V.D. (member of the associa tion), received the Officers' Decoration of the Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and Staff Sergeant-Major T. F. S. Rud'd (member of the brigade) received the Order of a Serving Brother of St. John of Jerusalem. Brigade Notes. The Chief Commissioner for the Dominion has approved of the registration of the following new divisions:—Christchurch Cadet Ambulance Division, Beckenham Cadet Nursing Division. • • • His Royal Highness the Grand Prior has approved of the issue of the bar to the Service Medal of the Order to Dr. F. J. Borrie, Assistant-Commis-sioner in charge of the Canterbury and West Coast district. The bar represents five years' additional service, thus giving Dr. Borrie a total of 17 years' efficient service with the brigade. • • • Some interesting .figures in connexion with the work done by tho St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas within the Dominion of New Zealand, while attending at sports and other gatherings on Saturday afternoons, have just been issued by the Chief Commissioner (Colonel G. Barclay). Returns were obtained for a selected Saturday afternoon during July, and the information which has been sent in shows that on the particular day referred to over 200 sports grounds were staffed by brigade members throughout the Dominion, 524 members of ambulance and nursing divisions were on duty, and 1162 cases of first-aid were treated. Each year additional demands are made upon the brigade for the supply of first-aiders, and the fact that there has been an increase of 233 cases over the corresponding day of last year shows, that the brigade is fully justifying its existence. Although tho great majority of the cases were of a minor nature, there were some of a more serious nature. In the Canterbury dis-

tricfc there were 72 members on duty and they dealt with 97 cases.

History of Movement.

The St. John Ambulance Association was formed in 1877, and so great was its success that within a few years it had extended its influence into every part of England, until at the present time the whole country and the Dominions overseas are covered with a network of its instructional centres. The Order of St. John has also had the great satisfaction of seeing similar associations, based on its model, established in Germany, Russia, the United States, and many other countries.

The plans of the ambulance department of the Order had been crowned with' such brilliant success under the .'direction of Colonel Duncan and his successor, Sir John Furley, that permanent organisations for giving practical effect to tne instructions given by the Ambulance Association were soon found to be necessary. First a stores depot was established at St. John'B Gate; then the Invalid Transport Corps was formed for the purpose of transporting sick and injured persons to hospitals; that was followed by the formation of similar transport corps in many districts to meet local demands. Next came the establishment of ambulance stations at the Great Exhibition and at other places where' large crowds were likely to assemble. Two permanent stations followed—first the Duncan Memorial Station, in 1898 (now at the West India Docks), and then the St. Paul's Ambulance Station.

But the greatest and most far-reach-ing development of all was tho formation of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, as the result of the e.vperiences gained during the great public ceremonies in connexion with Queen Victoria's jubilee, in ISB7. Tho brigade was instituted for the purpose of providing a properly trained body of men and women, on a purely voluntary basis, to render first-aid to sick and injured on public occasions, and in time of national emersrenev to reinforce the medical service of the armed forces of the Crown. The Ambulance Brigade was soon a success. The value of its service was appreciated more and more, both bv the authorities snd bv the general public that it served, and from the date of its formation it hns continued to expand and prosper, until at the present time it has a strength at Home of nvfir 57.000 men and women and 8000 cadets, and a. strength of 12.000 me" and women in the Dominions-beyond-the-seas.