JUBILEE DINNER

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 2

JUBILEE DINNER

CHRISTCHURCH NURSING DIVISION A dinner followed by a social gathering in the Mayfair Lounge last evening concluded the golden jubilee celebrations of the Christchurch nursing division attached to the/ St. John Ambulance Brigade. than 100 persons, including formep members from Dunedin, and Geraldine, were present. The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) said grace, and the chairman was the divisional surgeon (Dr. P. G. Downey). Among the guests were the Mayoress (Mrs R. M. Macfarlane), Mrs Downey, Dr. J. Restell Thomas, a former divisional surgeon, and Major-General G. B. Parkinson, secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association.

A message from the Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St. John in New Zealand (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) was read. The message, in part, said: *‘l urge you to be continually increasing your efficiency so that the name of St. John will always be respected, and you will always be confident in the work you undertake. . . . May J wish all sections of the Order the best in the years that lie ahead, and I particularly hope that the Christchurch nursing division will continue to flourish.”

The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane. M.P.), in proposing the toast to the Priory in New Zealand, paid a tribute to the men who have given their time to advance the work of the movement since its formation. Mr Macfarlane also congratulated members of the nursing division, and said that the work they were doing in the community was the greatest voluntary service in the history of New Zealand.

The president of the CanterburyWest Coast district of the brigade (Mr John H. Rhodes) replied to the toast. The toast to the Christchurch Nursing Division was proposed by the district commissioner (Dr. W. Gordon Rich). Mrs E. E. Lumb, divisional superintendent, replied. Mr B. J. McKenna, chairman of the Canterbury-West Coast centre of the association, replied to the toast of the centre, which was proposed by Mrs N. E. Mclntosh, corps superintendent (nursing). A certificate to mark the occasion signed by Sir Otto Lund, commis sioner-in-chief of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and a message iron Countess Mountbatten of Burma superintendent-in-chief, were present ed to Mrs Lumb by Dr. Rich. Medals to commemorate their V years’ service to the division were awarded to Mrs D. R. Taylor and Miss M. Stanton. Miss E. Malcolm, another recipient, was unable to be present The two-tier cake was cut by Mrs L. Lewis, a foundation member of the division.

After dinner a social programme included a mannequin parade of nurses’ uniforms, piano solos by Miss M. Jackson, and songs by Mrs Marjorie Marshall and Mrs G. Dorrins, for whom Mrs Maisie McNair was the accompanist.

The committee responsible for the jubilee celebrations was Mesdames Dorothy Hamilton (convener), E E Lumb (secretary), O. Garrat (treasurer), and Miss R. Belcher (assistanttreasurer) .