ST. JOHN AMBULANCE WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20108, 29 March 1928, Page 6

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE WORK

'THE progress in New Zealand of the St. John Ambulance

Brigade, of which the Wanganui branch is a most efficient unit, is indicated in the figures of the annual report just issued. In the founding of 13 new local divisions and the, addition of 400 members is evidence of an encouraging quickening of public interest.

The promoters of this excellent activity seldom press its claims on the attention of the community, yet there is none more worthy of support. It represents a considerable amount of voluntary service. Year in and year out, quiet organisation of classes in first aid and home nursing goes on, and much of

this executive work is undertaken with little reward beyond the knowledge that there is growing an ever larger number of folk equipped to render intelligent help in cases of accident and illness.

In the ready participation of the doctors in the work of the brigade there is at least an equal amount of valuable service. Their task in giving the required courses of lectures and their conducting of examinations is no light one, and it. is absolutely essential to the brigade’s success. It is always cheerfully performed, laying the whole community under obligation. What is done by brigade members, enrolled for duty at various public functions, is occasionally evident and commends itself. But it ought to be remembered that, beyond this obvious service, there is another and much wider one rendered unobtrusively by many others whom the brigade has equipped with knowledge as to what to do and what not to do before professional aid can be got in an emergency. It is not possible to tabulate the activities of this widespread but private ministry; yet they must be very considerable.

There is every reason why the brigade should hold a high place in general regard, and it is to be hoped that its future progress in the Dominion will be even greater than that of the past year.