COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 22689, 1 July 1937, Page 10

COMMUNITY SERVICE.

At the annual meeting of the St. John Ambulance Association last night the Mayor made an appeal to the public to give financial support to this organisation. For close on fifty years it has carried on in Otago. Its work has been efficient and invaluable. Hampered in the past by lack of suitable accommodation, that handicap will shortly be overcome through the generosity of one citizen. Mr means that an up-to-date building will soon be available for the work of the centre. Fortunately the association- had established a fund that was a little more than sufficient for the: purchase of the site, but money will be needed naturally to provide the equipment for the new premises.- . The .appeal, therefore, put forward by Mr Cox was timely and much to the point. : Those who are acquainted' with the work of the Order need no enlightment as to the scope of its activities, but for others who have not made themselves familiar with the details it may be explained that its work is divided into three main divisions. These are ambulance transport by three motor vehicles throughout the province; district nursing, by means of which three trained nurses in Dunedin and one employed by the Roslyn District Nursing Association spend their time in visiting and helping the side and aged poor of the community ; and the home nursing and first aid classes and the ambulance brigade, the members of which attend all functions where crowds gather, and give assistance in cases of accident or sudden illness. In addition, an organisation is provided for quick action in case of any emergency caused by an epidemic, earthquake, or large-scale accident. argument has been used that all these things should be done by the State, but to the most careless thinker it must be evident that there will always be ample scope for the work of this voluntary organisation. In the course of a thoughtful address at last nigbtfs meeting Dr M'Kibbin, medical officer of health in this city, advised all young men who could spare the time to do so to get a certificate in first aid, and every young woman to obtain one in home nursing. A knowledge of, first aid is invaluable in these days, when rpad and street accidents are so common. The association is constantly receiving illustrations of the value of the work effected by individuals who have attended the classes conducted by medical men and gained knowledge and skill sufficient to enable them to render valuable help when the call arises. So impressed has been the Otago Centre of St. John with the new conditions that have arisen as the result of the amazing increase in motor traffic that it has directed special efforts to tho establishment of first aid and nursing divisions iu the country. Marked success has been gained, and much practical interest has been demonstrated,' divisions having been formed or arrangements for classes made in numerous towns of the province. Working 'in co-operation- - with the Health Department, the Hospital Board, 'the'" municipalities, and other bodies,. , the .Order of St. John is . living up to * its ancient traditions and carrying on work among the people that is indispensable. As Dr M'Kibbin says in his address, mankind has advanced to the stage of prevention in disease, and the aim is to make an environment such as will prevent it. Unfortunately,' no complete preventive measures against accident can be employed, and'sufferings caused by poverty and the disabilities of ago are always .present. In these matters there is ample scope for the voluntary work of the Order of St. John, so that the appeals made on its behalf for financial help arc hot likely to go unheeded .

At a meeting of the Automobile Association (Otago) last night the president (Mr F. J. Williams) said a driving school was one of the most important schemes the association could undertake. Most of the accidents were caused, he believed, by drivers not having a proper knowledge of the driving of cars. In Wellington a magistrate proposed sending offenders to a driving school to learn the courtesy of the road and to impress on them the need for knowledge and control of their cars, and when the association’s new building was erected he hoped that _ provision would be made for driving classes. The Otago association had first suggested driving schools, which were now supported by the Minister of Transport. Mr H. L. Sprosen said the school should not give only driving lessons, but instruction in the mechanism and construction of the car. The president gave details of the school, and suggested that as it would minimise accidents the insurance companies should give a subsidy. Employment found for young persons by- the Dunedin Vocational Guidance Association during the month of May totalled 57 positions, according to a report submitted to last night’s meeting of the committee of the association. Eight boys and eight girls had been placed in shops, five boys at trades, nine boys and seven girls in factories, 13 boys and one girl in miscellaneous employment, and six boys in temporary employment.

Only six people turned up at a meeting convened by Mr Harold Booth yesterday afternoon to discuss - the situation with regard to the _ B class stations, although 89 sporting and other organisations had been circularised and invited to attend. After a short discussion the meeting was adjourned until next Thursday night. Almost throughout the sale of fat sheep at Burnside yesterday afternoon the higher values ruling at the opening were maintained. Only toward the finish of the market did the prices show a slight easing. Prices: Extra prime wethers to 455; prime, 38s to 425; medium, 33s to 355; light, from 28s; prime heavy ewes to 38s: prime, 33s to 3os; medium, 25s to 28s fid; light froin ’lßs. The quality of the hoggets forward, was reasonably good, considering recent weather conditions, and the entry was fully absorbed by the butchers .at prices ranging from 20s to 275, according to quality.

Other factors being, equal, it is the practice of State placement officers to recommend for appointment to private employment the men on their rolls who have the largest families, and this rule was recently observed at the Lower Hutt office of the service, An important firm applied for the services of four competent men, and, after making sure that their qualifications were up to requirements, the placement officer sent for the employer’s consideration four individuals 'whoso contributions to the census statistics were represented by 21 dependent childpp. Three of the men had been on relief for five years and the fourth man. for' three years. The men will he employed at normal wages for a period of at least six months, arid thus 29 people will benefit directly, •and many more indirectly, through the placing of these men in regular work.

Although it is several months since the fares on the trams were increased, there is at least one frequent southhound passenger who still uses the old tickets giving 15 rides for 2s 6d. Ho had been using these tickets continuously, sine© the. change in fares, and remarked on a tram the other day that he still has a good stock of the tickets at home. It is understood that as soon a? it was announced that the fares were; being increased this man bought several pounds worth at the Stock Exchange box. . 1

Advice has been received .that the honspiel organised by the New Zealand Curling Province; which was to have been held at Naseby to-morrow and on Saturday, has been postponed, The success ot this .event >is dependent on weather conditions, and as the result of a heavy mist the ice conditions will not now; he at their best until Tuesday or Wednesday next.

On® of the ceremonies attendant upon the opening of the new Post Office was the posting of the first letter, together With a photograph of the building, to the Duke of Gloucester, who laid the foundation stone. The mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) has- now received the following acknowledgment from Mr Godfrey Thomas, private secretary to His Royal Highness: —“ I am desired by the Duke of Gloucester to convey to you His; Royal '.Highness’s sincere thanks for the photograph of your completed Chief - Post Office, and to acknowledge, the receipt of the first letter posted there, which, he is much interested to have. His Royal Highness, who retains the happiest recollections of his visit to Dunedin, is glad to know that the building, of which ho laid the foundation stone, is now opened for public business, and he greatly appreciates the good wishes which you extend to him on, behalf of the citizens of Dunedin.”

That the healthy' existence of voluntary service organisations, such as the St, John Ambulance Association, provided a direct answer to Fascism and Bolshevism was the conclusion arrived at by Dr A. R. Falconer after ■ his recent visit to the Old Country. This opinion was expressed at the annual meeting of the St. John Ambulance Association last, night, when Dr Falconer told members of the brigade that they were playing a much more important. role in the community than tliey thought. •

The City Fire Brigade turned out at C. 36 p.xn.* yesterday to deal with a chimney fire at the Carlton Hotel. At 10 o’clock this morning the City and South Dunedin Brigades turned out to Whitby street, Moruington, where a motor car owned by F. W. Hooper had caught fire, the result of a backfire. No damage was caused in either case.

The special appeal for £20,000 to re build the Karitano Hospital.at Anderson’s Bay has now reached the encouraging total of £7,172 9s 3d. If the work of helping the mothers and.saving the babies is to. be adequately continued. a new hospital is essential Contributions may be sent to the office of the .‘Evening Star.’ Somewhere in Christchurch is the holder of an art union . ticket worth £2.000, under- , the nom de plume “ Guinea.” The agent for Canterbury, Mr D. M'Comick, told the ‘ Press ’ last evening that no ore bad claimed the prize; and he thought the delay may have been caused by the fact that the nom de plume “ Gunner ” first given with the winning number was incorrect. The name should have been “ Guinea,” according to the official.list of.winners of the, “ Golden Gleam ” Art Union which was received by Mr M'Cormick yesterday morning. The postal authorities advise that the Waikouaiti left Sydney on Wednesday for Lyttelton with 31 hags of Australian, 10 parcel reccntacles, and the London air mail of Jure 16. The mails should reach the local office on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The Mariposa, from San Pedro, due at Auckland on the 9th inst., has 216 bags, of English and American mail, which should reach the local office on the morning of 12th: idem,, - ... - ■

There was a clean sheet at the Police Court this morning.

One of the best-known residential properties in the city, that of the late Mr J. A. D. Adams, at the corner of Highgate and Grendon street, changed hands yesterday, Mr J. A. Sim being the purchaser at a price stated to be just under £3,000. The property, which comprises a nine-roomed residence and 1 rood 10.8 poles of grounds, was offered at auction by Messrs 11. S. M'Kenzie Ltd., and was passed in, a sale being made with Mr Sim immediately afterwards. The erection of a fairy (coloured) fountain, in a public place in the city was urged by a deputation from the Otago Expansion League, which waited on the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), this morning, Mr Cox assuring the deputation that he would call a public meeting at an early date to discuss the matter, further. The Expansion League has had this in hand for some tune, and at its last meeting letters were received from Christchurch and Napier, accompanied by coloured photographs of a coloured geyser in action at Napier. The league feels that street attractions of this nature, with increased illuminations, would brighten up the city considerably.

A Wellington Associatum message states that the Waikouaiti, "which left Sydney for Lyttelton last night, has on board the London air mail despatched on Juno 15.

A few years ago the Blackball Mine employed 300 men, and could produce 1,000 tons of coal a day. This year its total i employees number about 100, and its production is about 500 tons a week. According to the mine manager, Mr J. G. Quinn, the mine—one or the best known on the West Coast—is a typical example of a decline in mining, which could cause a. shortage of coal as described by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in a recent statement. “Tf a shortage of coal exists, said Mr Quinn in an interview at the mine with the Christchurch ' Press, “ its cause is the neglect of the people of New Zealand in years gone by to assist their own industry.” In the years when Australian coal was freely imported into New Zealand persons bought it in preference to that;mined in their own country, said Mr Quinn. The result of that was a gradual depletion, over years, of the financial resources, and the man power of Nov.' Zealand mines, until to-day, when Australian mines could not send coal to compete with the Dominion product, New Zealand’s mines might not be able to supply requirements.