VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 3, 31 August 1943, Page 3

VOLUNTARY AID DETACHMENT

DIRECTOR GENERAL'S VISIT

The Whakatane Voluntary Aids and the Taneatua Voluntary Aids — [forming the Eastern Bay of Plenty Voluntary Aid Detachment had the pleasure of parading before their Director-General on Saturday afternoon last. The Voluntary Aids, including members of the Domestic Detachment and the St. John Voluntary Aids paraded in uniform in the Caledonian Hall. Mrs Prideaux, Lady Superintendent brought Miss Groo'ke, who inspected the Aids accompanied by Mrs E. Armstrong, Section Leader. After the Detachment was dismissed, and the public were seated, Mrs Sullivan, President of the Red Cross, welcomed Miss Croo'ke to Whakatane, and Mrs Armstrong presented the guest with a beautiful' bouquet and a leather •writing case. Miss Crooke expressed- her great appreciation of the gifts. She had not a writing case,, she said, although she had a great deal of writing to do always. It was a gift she would continually use. Smartness Commended Miss Crooke commenced her talk by complimenting the Detachment on its- appearance. It was a pleasure to see such neat uniforms so well put on. Members might wonder why it was necessary to form Detachments, they might consider that their Voluntary Aids training was all that w T as necessary. The discipline given by regular meetings and in particular by regular drill was very important. It was found that in emergency, discipline was of vital importance. Also the drill competitions ■ between various Detachments helped to keep the Detachments interested, and keep up members pride in their units. She complimented the Voluntary Aids on their excellent training room, and. aliso in the possession of a dummy patient. Building an Edifice We should look on the Red Crosi organisation, said Miss Crooke. as a building that will never be finished. Its foundations are. laid on the blood, tears and agony of thousands that liave gone before, us. She quoted the following lines:— "To each is given a bag of tools, A shapeless plan and a book of rules. And each must fashion, ere life is done, A stumbling block, or a stepping stone." Every one of us can build, and she is sure that the V.A.S will build a stepping stone. To some degree the Red Cross organisation had to endure some competition from Other organisations to the extent thai members of the. Army, Navy and Air Force were supplied with uniforms etc. whereas V.A.s had to supply their own uniforms and books. It was all the more to their credit, therefore, that they had -come forward in such numbers. Miss Crooke urged members to become conversant with their own organisations and described posters done bv Voluntary Aids in other districts illustrating the Red Cross organisation. We must remembter too that -we are an international organisation and members of a family of over 34,000,000.

Post War Reconstruction Miss Crooke mentioned the scope of reconstruction after the war, and also explained the Civil Nursing Reserve. This was being built up as a reserve which can be called on in emergency by any* hospital,, not in the case of epidemic or disaster, but also in the case of their being short-staffed through any reason, such as holidays etc. lit was a peace-time as well as, a Avar-time scheme. The Director-General said she was proud of the high standard of V.A. training. Matrons of hospitals AA'here V.A.s Avent for their 60 hours said their training Avas so -well done that there was no furthe' need, of lectures apart from the one on hospital ethics. The keenness shown Avas instanced in the case of several women in Blackball who were anxious to do their 60 hours in hospital that they got up at 5 a.m., and after cutting their husband's and children's lunches went in daily to the Greymouth Hospita.. After they got home at night, about 5 p.m.,, they did, the housework and cooked the dinner. When an outbreak of measles and chickenV ox occurred they did this for six -weeks on end. Another woman m the South Island took her children A-to a f rientl who ran a llotel ' anc] A jeft them with her while she took her 60 hours. When her course was completed, she took charge of the .Jiotel, the hostess's children, and

her own children,, while her friend took her 60 hours training. Miss Crooke suggested means whereby perhaps the older married women V.A.s might help mothers between the stage when they came out of hospital till they were fit again, even if only for a few hours weekly. Personally she would like to see State Convalescent Homes attached to every hospital. Public Service Miss Crooke described the Casualty Clearing Station in Wellington. Sometimes, she said the staff had to assemble at half an hour's notice. There was a key person in every department responsible for getting her staff together. Domestic Voluntary Aids do all the kitchen work and V.A.s work in the wards, dining room etc. The V.A.s should give every assistance to the Junior Red Cross, it is from the Juniors that the 1 future V.A.s come. The Plunket Society too should get every help. Their system of ante-natal care is "right up the Red Cross street" that of preventive medicine. Miss Crooke instanced various ways in which the Detachment could arouse public interest and keep its own members keen—such as demonstrations, ideas for theirl practice nights—for example a spelling bee. and diagnosis by the members on signs writen down, and symptoms described, by the patient. Dances could be held for local funds and to buy uniforms, etc. She 1 suggested compiling a book of V.A. examination "howlers" to be. sold for Red Cross funds, Locail Members Complimented! She concluded by expressing her pleasure in the good attendance of V.A.s and also in seeing a Domestic Detachment in Whakatane. She hoped to be back soon. A dainty afternoon tea was served after Miss Romola Winstnoe, accompanied by Miss Jean Armstrong, had sung two songs. After Miss Crooke had gone round talking to the various members of the Detachment a pleasant and instructive afternoon drew tO' a close.