ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 91, 11 January 1935, Page 2

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Work of Brigade Overseas

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT The annual report of the chief commissioner for the brigade overseas, recently issued from St. John's Gate, contains a considerable amount of information of the work done by the organisation. It is stated that in the Dominions overseas 44 new adult divisions (82 ambulance and 12 nursing), have been formed, while the cadet organisation has advanced by 31 new units (20 ambulance and 11 nursing). The strength of the brigade overseas now stands, at 340 ambulance and 143 nursing divisions, with a personnel of 14,444, and the cadets have 58 ambulance and 53 nursing divisions, with a membership of 2533, ' In March the Wellington centre of the St. John Ambulance Association will complete 50 years of its existence, and the executive has decided that the event shall be suitably celebrated. A programme has been prepared for the occasion, and included in the .functions will be a conference of secretaries of centres at which it is expected that all the centres ill the Dominion will be represented. The brigade in Invercargill has made a new departure in the holding of ambulance competitions recently. This is the first occasion on which they have taken place at the southern city, and the result was most satisfactory. In a communication recently addressed to officers in charge of brigade districts in the Dominion, the thief commissioner. Colonel G. Barclay, refers to the progte.-w which has been made during 1934. A considerable number of new divisions has been formed and the membership of the brigade had been satisfactorily increased. Calls upon tho services of the brigadesmen and women had continued to advance, and tlie year would be marked by the opening of enlarged and new premises at various centres, and the inauguration of improved facilities for the transport of the sick and injured in a number of towns and districts. Owing to the stress of the times, the inter-district ambulance competitions were discontinued in the South Island several years ago. It will be pleasing news to many brigade members to know that, they will be reintroduced during 1935, when the initiative will be taken by the Christchurch district. Appointments Made. The following appointments in the Wellington district have been approved by the chief commissioner:— Wellington Division: Alfred Mason and Albert Constable, to be corporals. Blenheim Nursing: Miss D. V. A. Yealands, to be lady divisional Secretary. Nelson Ambulance! Erie Pearce, to be divisional secretary; Wh. A. Lake, to be sergeant. Blenheim Ambulance: Albert J. ‘Kerry, to be divisional storekeeper. Service Awards. Service awards have been granted to members of the brigade in the Wellington district as under:— Service badge for three years’ efficiency to the following Wellington Y.W.C.A. Nursing Division: Ambulance Sisters E. Kuring, I. Buckland, G. Parsons, N. Farrell. Wellington South Nursing Division : Ambulance Sisters M. Reeves, E. CleaVer, G. Ilakaria. M. McConisky, L. Albrechsen, T. Coogee, M. O’Brien, V. Mpes., Wellington Suburban Nutsing Division : Ambulance Sisters K. Sparrow, M. Priest, A. L. McDowell, A. Phillips, V. Osborn, H. Robinson. Wellington Nursing Division: Ambulance Sisters L. Blackett and F. Cook.

PrOficitehcy badges have been granted to the following cadets, each of whom has obtained a certificate in the four subjects enumerated-

Wellington Cadet Nursing Division: Cadets Doreen Boyd and Jessie Wakeling (home nursing, child welfare, knowledge of the order, fire-fighting). Wellington Suburban No. 2 Cadet Nursing Division: Cadet Esme Carlyle (child welfare, home nursing, public service, firefighting) ; Cadet Joyce Whittaker (home nursing, child welfare, knowledge of the order, fire-fighting).