THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 32, 6 August 1921, Page 6

THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN

WIDENING ITS SPHERE OF OPERATIONS. The work of this branch of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which during the last thirty years has become better known in New Zealand, through the formation of first aid and home nursing classes, and, by the work done by its members during the strike of 1913 and the epidemic of 1918, has at last been recognised -by the Government of the country. A few weeks ago a grant of '£100 was made to each of the five centres, to spread-the knowledge of first aid and home nursing through new territory. Two member^ of the Association Centre Committee, both senior officers of the St. John Ambulance - Brigade overseas, Mrs. G. Barltrop and Miss Robieson, were deputed to undertake the work of organising classes in the country towns in the Wellington district. Addresses were given explaining the work and aims of the Order of St. John since its inception in ! Jerusalem in the 11th century by Neapolitan merchants and others, to aid the sick and weary pilgrims who journeyed to the Holy Sepulchre, down to the present day, with its tremendous work of founding hospitals and convalescent homes, also of teaching'first aid and comrtionsense home nursing throughout the civilised world. Addresses were also given on the work pt the brigade since, its formation in England in 1887 down to the present day, both in civil life and during the Great War, by these means giving the public a olear idea of what the order aims at in its work. The work done by the order side by side with the British Red Cross during the war, which work it is hoped will be continued for the benefit.of mankind in peace times, was explained. These two officers have visited in all 24 towns, during a five weeks' tour, after arrangements had been made between headqiiartrs, Wellington, and the authorities in the, various towns. They were received with the greatest kindness and hopitality by all members of the community, Mayors, town\clerks, fire brigades, wellknown townspeople, Red Cross workers, St. John members, YiM.C.A;, the press,' and others. The medical men and women met the efforts of these St. John dolegates with' the greatest willingness to give all the assistance they could in the future, by lecturing, eto., as they stated the want of the Tcnowledge, especially home nursing, was ■ deplorable in the country districts. One town especially— Hunterville—voiced the need of a distriot nurse.- As a result of this tour classes have already been started at Taihape, Ohakune, Feilding, Masterton, Carterton, Maryborough, Marton, Levin. and Eketahuna, with indications of others to follow in the near future, although the tour has only just been completed. The work of the old order in this country as in others has been rather dormant of late years, evidently an aftermath of the war, but it is hoped, that after this effort of resuscitation the work of the association and brigade, which really consists of continuation meetings to keep up the practice of the knowledge already learned and of adding to it, will go ahead once more. Wellington is very much handicapped by the need of quarters in which to hold classes and brigade practices and to carry on the association work, but it is hoped the fund for this will be enlarged in the near future, as it is. now the aim of the association and brigade to acquire a building, so that their work may become better known. ,