"GOOD OF HUMANITY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18380, 21 April 1923, Page 11

"GOOD OF HUMANITY."

THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN. SUCCOUR FOR THE - SICK. WORK DONE IN AUCKLAND. "Pro Utilitate Hominum""For the good of Humanity." Surely no institution could have a finer motto than this, which is the one the St. John Ambulance Association has chosen. Certainly, no institution better lives up to its motto than this association d'.es. for its whole work is to assist the sick and suffering and to aid the helpless. The St. John Association was formed, under its present name, in England in 1877. The history of the organisation, however, dates back many hundreds of years, to the foundation of a hospital, which has existed in Jerusalem with rare interruptions ever since the third century. Thus, although the association as it is now known is one of modern times, the idea which underlies all its work originated when this hospital was first founded for the benefit of Christian pilgrims to the Holy City. , Since 1877 the association has steadily developed, and it has already* spread almost throughout the whole of the British Empire.

Local Staff and Equipment. The association's headquarters in Auckland are situated in Rutland Street. Here there is an up-to-date station, where the equipment is housed, and where the members meet for practice and for business and social purposes. The local organisation comprises 60 voluntary brigade men, three trained nurses, and 170 voluntary nurses. The permanent driver, who is skilled in ambulance work, lives in' the building, and jbhere also is a relieving driver, who is available wien required. The motor equipment consists of two ambulances and one car. One of the ambulances is claimed to be the bestequipped vehicle of the kind in Auckland, being replete with electric light, water, and various useful appliances. Both ambulances can carry four stretcher cases, or a greater number of sitting patients. and Wo attendants, in addition to the driver. The motor-car will carry one stretcher case, or several sitting patients. It is used chiefly when bad roads and other rough places have to be traversed. Six .Ashford litter stations in various parts of the city and suburbs bear testimony to the activity of the association. One is at the Mount Eden Fire Brigade station, another at the Onehunga Wharf, while the others are located at the Birkenhead, Devonport, Northcote, and Onehunga ambulance stations. Stretcher depots have been established on the Central and Kirig's Wharves, and at the Epsom, tramway depot, and it is intended.to place one. on the new Prince's Wharf.

Mr. C. J. Tunica is the local chairman of the association and assistant-commis-sioner for the Auckland district, and Mr. F. J. Hutchinson is the senior district superintendent of the brigade. Dr. N. McDougall is the district .corps surgeon. Nature of the Work.; . The ambulance is occasionally used: for the transportation of accident eases to the hospital, but its chief work is the carrying thither of sick patients. It also takes cases to the Mental Hospital. It is stated that the St. John is the only fully-equipped ambulance in Auckland available for private' cases. It may be used for all kids of sick cases, except patients suffering from infectious diseases, although these, too, are carried in times of emergency. For the services of the ambulance a charge is made according to the means of the patient, a large amount of work necessarily being done without any charge. i The ambulance also occasionally makes trips into the country. " ■■"' : '\. ' ■'■- ■-.'■-,' The number of patients transported during 1922 : was 251, . the distance ; travelled ; by the vehicles doing this work being 2181 miles. In addition 17 returned soldiers were transported a distance of' 89 miles. The three district nurses paid 8718 visits to 762 patients, assisted doctors at 100 operations, and attended to over 250; out-patients at"." the Rutland Street station. First-aid and home nursing lectures were given to 844 pupils in the city and country. < All .race meetings are attended by. the ambulance and several brigademen, while football matches, athletic sports, and the more important picnics are also attended by members 'of the brigade. All this work is done voluntarily. A .charge is made for the attendance of an ambulance, and a man is reimbursed for time actually lost from work. Otherwise there is no remuneration for the performance of the services rendered. A Trained Eddy of Civilians. Other objects of the association are to enable those who hold its certificates to meet together for ambulance practice, to further develop the means of rendering first-aid, to maintain in activity a body of men qualified and equipped to act in any emergency, and to nave in readiness a trained body of civilians willing to be placed in the case of necessity at the disposal of the military authorities as an adjunct to the army medical staff. j When the familiar St. John Ambulance is seen in the streets of Auckland how few people realise the great value to - urn community of the organisation it represents ? The grey vehicle with its wellknown badge — an eight-pointed white cross on a black background, set inside a circle—flashes past, perhaps without raising a thought in the minds of those who see it. Yet, there are many thousands of people in the world to-day who owe much, perhaps life itself, to the noble, work of this body. Their numbers include many New Zealanders who hav« gladly received sorely-needed aid from the St. John Ambulance Association. Yolutary workers all, member of the association are surely deserving pi the highest recognition of their noble service undertaken "for the good of humanity."