ST. JOHN AMBULANCE.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 27

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE.

ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR, CHRISTCHURCH, May 29,

Mr Gow, president of the St. Joha Ambulance Association in New Zealand, last night presented the certificates woa by the local candidates.

An address from the four centres waf v also presented to his Excellency the Governor.

In reply, Lord Plunket said the order of St. John of Jerusalem in England waa watching the rapid progress of the ambulance branch in the Dominion with prid< and satisfaction, and he believed he w.is correct in stating that in no part of th< Empire was the association so much ia evidence or doing better work than in New Zealand. He thanked the association sincerely for its good wishes, and trusted that additional prosperity and a wider sphere of usefulness might be the lot of the St. John Ambulance Association in the city and throughout New Zealand. He most deeply appreciated the thoughtfulness which prompted the different centres of the association to unite in presenting him with an addrses before he left New Zealand. He had taken a very deep interest in the association out here, and it had always been to him a source of pride to realise from year to year how the branches were advancing in usefulness. It was naturally a very great satisfaction to him before he went away to realise, that the different centres had appreciated the interest he had taken. He thought, if he might be allowed to say so, it would be an excellent thing to attempt to follow the Wellington branch of the association. A lady there (Mrs Rhodes) had done absolute wonders in the work of the nursing' branch, and she had been assisted by a committee full of the same enthusiasm as herself. Two nurses, and sometimes three, were working among the poor, and were doing work that was bringing great honour to the association. He would like, if it were possible, that every branch of the association throughout New Zealand should have one or two nurses attached to it, doing somewhat similar work. He knew that in some places other associations were carrying out practically the same work, and he would not for a moment suggest any interference with other associations. Wherever it was possible to assist the sick poor, as was being done in Wellington, that should be part of the work of the association in every district. He did not, however, for one moment want to discredit the excellent work the branches were already doing in the way of giving first aid and other lectures and issuing certificates to qualified candidates. He was particularly pleased t<r have the opportunity of presenting the certificates. That evening he had signed a lai'ge number of the association's certificates, and he really did think that the Christchurch branch had during the last year or so given him more to "sign than all the rest of New Zealand put together. —(Applause).