ST. JOHN'S AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2829, 3 June 1908, Page 12

ST. JOHN'S AMBUL ANCE ASSOCIATION.

The following is the .nineteenth annual report of the Central Committee of the St.'John Ambulance Association for the year ended December, -1907:— • " The committee of the centre has' to report that the annual meeting was held on the 9th May, when ' his Honor Mr Justice Williams presided. The -Lady Mayoress presented the medallions, and certificates. The annual report , and baJance sheet were presented, and the Very Rev. the Primate, iris Honor Mr Justice Williams, Dr Barnett, and several others addressed the meeting. Th© I 'following classes were held, in Dunedin : —Men's • first aid— three 'classes Dunedin, one Caversham, one -^RaVensbourne; women's first ' -aid — two ~ ' classes . Dunedin, one, Caversham, one ' Ravens- . bourne ; women's nursing — two classes Dunedin. The following; medical men acted as lecturers and examiners during- the past year: — Drs Rile.y, Church, Hlslop, Gordon, W. 1 J. Will, J.P., Douglas, Snow, Ritchie, Moore, H. A. de Lautour, Sale, O'Neill, Newlahds, Crawford, Whitton, Donald, F. Borrie, W. H. Borrie,Lillie, M'Kibbin, E. H. Williams, M'Ara, Henry, Stevens, Falconer, ' A. Stenhouse, Young, W. Evans, Blomfield, Fleming, Garland, Buteraent, Liddell, Hay, Hogg r M'ABam, Siedeberg, Collier, Gow, Mllroy, M'Kellar, Marshall Macdonald, F. Fitchett, and Brugh. The Grand Chapter of th© Order has the following distinctions upon members of ' the Dunedin Centre : — Hon. life members for services rendered to th© association: — Drs Garland, Blomfield, Fitzgerald, Win. Evans, A. Stenhouse, and FuHcrn. The committee desires to again emphasise its indebtedness to the medical practitioners- of. the district for the keen interest they have taken in the association's work and the invaluable a'jsistance they have given as lecturers, examiners, and advisers. Your committee is gratified to repdft, €hat during the past year ambulance transport work has been attended to promptly ' ' and efficiently. Where necessary, and when sufficient notice has been giverL trained m-en have been sent out with <!oe .ambulance. 'The committee desires to . impress upon the public the fact that all cases of transport of sick and injured persons will be attended to promptly, and that the question, of payment is not considered, especially in cases of accident. They, however, trust that in all cases where payment can be' made, there will be no unnecessary delay. The contractor (Mr Jeffs) has carried out his work during the year to the satisfaction of the committee. The Ambulance Saturday function has now been merged in the Hospital Saturday Association, The amount received by the association last year was £327. This ensured our ability to oarrvon our branches of the work without undue • anxiety. The conamiriee closiree to place upon record the consideration of the City Council in granting a freo pass on the tramways to the districf 'nurse. By *his means "the nurse's time is saved, ■ and a considerable amount of extra work can be , done. The concentration of the work of lectures. «-xaminatiqns, and buigade and nursing corps into one building has proved very satisfactory, and the committee hopes to continue in the same .building. The district nurse has carried out her many duties durinsr the past year to the satisi faction of the committee, and most cerj tainly to the benefit 1 of the suffering poor. ! The secretary has received several letters J from those who have bpnefited by her services, speaking in grateful terms of her kindness and attention, and in many casps ! small sums were enclosed, testifying to | the genuinene^ of their feelings." The centre during the ypar has been enabled to place additional first aid perquisites at various places under control of competent persons. Tn case of a railway arrid&nt or mining disaster, the association has larsro hampers of .first aid requisites always ready, and o<in quickly ca.ll together a body of trained men to assist the medical practitioner In the Nursing Corps 21 men and 15 women went up for re-examina.tion. and parsed the necessa&y tests. During the year elasee-, were hold in connection with the following Volunteer Corps: — No. 2 Oompa.ny Now Zealand Field Hospital j and Beaver Corps. No. 2 Company Xow i Zealand Rniine^r Volunteers. No. 2 Com- , panv Now Zealand Garrison Artillery. No. 3 Co^iinv New Zealand Garri=on ArtUlerv. TS Bntrery. New Zealand Field AvtilItv. Palmer=ton Rifles. Hamixlen Rifles. Diiimrl •] Carri-'in Bind. P'utha Rifles. C'li'thi Moun*ed Rifles. The stdtemenf of receipt' and ''iiv ; thil^i!;.- 1 eenfr" oorni.ieneed the ■vmr v. "th a c r^<lit balance at the tank of £1^ 030 3 sd. which

was increased during the year to £67 113 3d." The Oamabtt Branch. - The committee of the Oamaru branch couches its fifteenth annual report in the i following terms: — " Your committee, in placing this report before you, has pleasure in reporting that the interest in ambulance work continues from year to year. The membership of the men's and women's first aid' classes totals 58, the lecturer for the women's class being Dr Whitton; while Dr Douglas lectured to the men's class Thirty-two members sat for the examination. Twentysix passed, while six failed to satisfy the examiner- Dr Donald, of Waitati, who examined the classes, expressed himself pleased with the satisfactory manner in which most of the candidates acquitted themselves. Your committee is under a,. ~ debt of gratitude to the medical men wßo'' so kindly assisted the association. The annual meeting was held on June 21, when there was a good attendance of thofle interested. The Misses Williams and thjeir^' friends very kindly provided the evening's"., entertainment, which was much apprfei ' cia'ted by the audience. During the evening the certificates and medallions were presented by Mrs A. Do.uglas to those entitled to receive them. Your committee very much regrets the departure from our midst of the V-en. Archdeacon Gould, who has been president of this committee singe 1899; Miss M. E. Bruce, who has been a member since 1893 and vice-president since 1899; and also Mr R. de Lambert, who has been a member for several years These retiring members have taken an active interest in the work of the association, which -interest, it is hoped, will continue in their new sphere of labour. Your committee would recommend to the incoming committee the advisability of securing a permanent room for ambulance purposes, as under the present condition of aTaira the work of the association is very much hampered. Your committee b pleased to know that the brougham ambulance purchased by the Ambulance Brigade arrived at the latter end of the year, and has been use&y, a number of times, and appears to give satisfaction. The members of the ambulance and nursing divisions continue to keep up their prac- . tiees- and membership." j THE AMBULANCE BRIGADE. j The report of ambulance brigades and j nursing divisions is as follows:— "The past j year has been a most successful one for the St. John Ambulance Brigade in New Zealand, no fewor than 15 new divisions having been added to the roll. The membership of the brigade, which stood at 652 12 months ago, has now reached 1050. In Otago five new divisions have been formed— viz.. two at Hampd«n, two at Herbert, and one at Shasr Point. So fa> , success has not attended the efforts which j have been put forth with a view to the formation of units at Kurow, Milton, Kaitangata, Riversdale, Riverton. and several other places, but the matter is being kept before those locally interested. As a result of the nursing lectures which will be held at Caversham, Maori Hill, and Ravensbourne next season, it is safe to predict that nursing divisions will be formed in those suburbs. It is gratify m<r to note that each succeeding year the work < and objects of the brigade are being more widely recognised by the general public— a fact which naturally improves the standing of the brigade. The members of the Oamaru .division are to be congratulated upon th*> excellent results which attended j their collection made for ambulance pur- ; poses, when a sum of £297 was obtained. ; An ambulance brougham for use in tn<» town and district has since been obtained , from England. The assistant commis- , sioncr in charge (Maior G. Barclay. V.D.) i desires to acknowledge tho services rendered by the members of the brisrade statt in the carrying out of the work during the ; pa<t year." I