WORK OF ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28249, 10 April 1957, Page 15

WORK OF ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Patients Carried Last Year

During last year 21 St. John ambulance vehicles in Canterbury and the West Coast carried 16,042 patients and travelled 166,515 miles. In Christchurch seven vehicles carried 14,387 patients and travelled 112,976 miles, says the annual report of the Canterbury and West Coast centre of the St. John Ambulance Association.

The Christchurch figures are about the same as those for 1954. During 1955 the demand for St. John ambulance services in Christchurch was comparatively small. Last year 1845 certificates foi first aid, home nursing, hygiene and child welfare were issued. The association also supervised examinations of those already qualified, and 968 medallions, labels, pendants, and vouchers were awarded as a result of the examinations. Women and Schools

Women’s organisations showed increasing interest in elementary first aid for the housewife, and intermediate schools and high schools continued to encourage pupils to learn first aid. At one school, with a roll of several hundreds, every pupil received instruction, the report says. In 1956 the Priory approved a revised set of rules governing the association throughout New Zealand. The new rules will require certain alterations to the rules of the Canterbury and West Coast centre, including the change of the Christchurch metropolitan district into a sub-centre.

Application has been made for alteration of the name of the Timaru sub-centre, probably to the South Canterbury sub-centre, the report says.