ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18821, 11 July 1923, Page 6

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

AN ENJOYABLE SOCIAL. As a rule the officers and memberf of the St. John Ambulance Brigade come but rarely into what may be termed the limelight of social publicity; but last evening, at the Returned Soldiers’ Club, they availed themselves of the opportunity ol rendering “first aid” in the form o! a most entertaining tonic to a and representative gathering ML friends and supporters of the < V Mr. A. A. Allpress, the Brigau.*> superintendent, presided, and proved himself a most genial and hospitable master of ceremonies. Mrs. Spillane had kindly undertaken the arrangement of what proved a most pleasurable musical programme, and m addition kindly officiated as accompanist. Songs were given by Mrs. Bull, Miss Dustin, and Messrs Quinn, McCarthy, Meehan, and Francis, encores being demanded in each instance. Not the least enjoyable and certainly the most interesting feature of the evening was an address b> Mrs. Mary Cornyns on the work of ihe Red Cross in the United States of America, the speaker incidentally giving those present a most interesting and brightly presented resume oi her experiences during her recent \ isit to the States. Mrs. Cornyn? paid a warm tribute to the Americans for their courtesy and warm hearted hospitality to a stranger from a far country, and stressed th need and importance of making New Zealand better known to a great people who, so far as her observa lions went, were keenly desirous o! becoming more intimately acquaint - ed with this Dominion and its cili zens. During the evening Mr. .1 Ball, at the request of the officers o the Association, presented the cerii ficates and vouchers to the slice* > ful candidates at the recent first aid examination, the recipients being a under:— Vouchers: Messrs Geo. Wright, E. Gilberd, F. Davis, and Thos. Hunter. Certificates: G. F. Sleight, L. Langsdown, C. L] m: n, A Doyle, F. Lowe, G. Bridges, L. W. I’atchett, F. E Long, and Reg. McDonald. In making the presentation Mr. Ball referred briefly to tr.

calue of the work of the organise tion, which, he said, stood tn hi-: op.nion for community service in the highest and best sense of the term. All present, he said, had had their minds filled and their hearts thrilled by the terrible railway disaster w-hich had shocked New Zealand within the past few days, and he felt, sure they would all realise what, it w-ould have meant to the pain stricken victims of that sad occurrence had there been among those whose good fortune it was to escape uninjured a greater number or men and wouten qualified to ren der first aid as taught, under the auspices of the St. John Ambu lance Brigade. Not only were th qualified members ot that organisa tion competent to give just the hei? that was required in such an emergency, but their knowledge and experience were also invaluable in their homes and in the homes of friends and neighbours whenever injury by accident called for expert treatment The musical items were intersperse', with dancing, and at the conclusiot of a most enjoyable evening tn< deputy superintendent, Mr. Brine expressed the Association's gratefu thanks to Mrs. Spillane and all I l-otr who had assisted to make the even ing pass so pleasantly.