NEW HEADQUARTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11648, 12 October 1923, Page 2

NEW HEADQUARTERS

FOR AMBULANCE BRICADE XNIGKTS OF ST. JOHN'S NEW ENDEAVOUR. TO COST JBSOOO. The splendid and necessary work dene by the St. John Ambulance Association has been increasing in volume for years. It is now to have a dofinite home in a new headquarters. Since 1883, when the local association was founded, the work of the association has grown steadily. It is concerned with the eduoation of the public in first-aid and home nursing, and its activity is as great in country as in city. Also it sup. plies ambulance appliances for civilian needs in homes and workshops, and at popular resorts. Composed of individuals who have teen trained by the association and who meet at regular intervals, the association has its organisation for collective work among the sick, has been prominent at the time of epidemics, and: disasters, and! in less troublous times, provides two members at each of the sports grounds throughout the city oh Saturday afternoons. It is, of course, a purely voluntary order, world-wide in its work. BIG WORK. Some idea of the scale of its operations will be gained from the fact that since its inception 11.142 people have Completed the association's course, 9394 have received certificates and 847 have qualified for medallions. The number of men and women especially who have been taking first-aid courses has been increasing very largoly over the poet three years. And now tho association has recognised .(ho desirability of a building in which its much needed work can be carried out. HEART OP THE CITT. The site chosen for this new building is a vacant section at the corner of Tory and Vivian streets, opposite the Salvation Army Hostel. This spot is in tho centre of the association's work and is in a portion of the city towards which they feel the flow of business building is already marked. The site is the property of the Wellington College Board of Trustees, and it is understood that it may be acquired at a lease in perpetuity for the rental of something like £6O per year. Tho committee is etill negotiating with the board in this matter On the section when secured will be erected a building which will oost something between £9OOO and £SOOO. The plans fqr the building are not yet drawn, though tho committee have put the matter in hand. FUNDS IN HAND. In the building will be assembled all the work which the association does in different parts of the city, the educational work, classes, and general instruction Undertaken. Towards the amount of the estimated oost tho association already his come .£2560 in hand. This fund comes from pre-war days, as the street days which formed l the association's main source of revenue were abandoned during the four years, the members unselfishly helping other causes. To augment the sum the St. John Ambulance Association is now taking steps, and tho first effort will take the form of a concert by the Commercial Travellers' Choir (the first public benefit) at an early date.