ORDER OF ST. JOHN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 32, 10 December 1943, Page 5

ORDER OF ST. JOHN

KNIGHT COMMANDER'S VISIT

SIR BEATON RHODES & i'AUTY

Wearing the splendid black velvet robes of the Order of St. ~ John, Sir Heaton Rhodes, Knight Commander of the New Zealand j Order, and Party met members of the local branch, Brigade and 1 Red Cross Units at an official welcome to Whakatane in the Borough Council Chambers last j Tuesday evening. |

Sir Heaton "Rhodes who was accompanied by Mr R. Gilmore Sen. secretary of the New Zealand Executive and R. Gilmore Jnr. officer in charge of the Wellington, province and Mr J. Laiigstone, secretary of. the Auckland Centre was addressed by His AVorsliip the -Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, who said that he had the. greatest possible pleasure in extending to a distinguished member of a distinguished order, a bearty welcome to Whakatane.

Responding Sir Hcaton expressed his thanks and pleasure in being able to visit the town. He enlarged ujjon'the history of the gi;eat move-, mcnt in which he was so interested and spoke, of the magnificent work the Brigade was doing throughout the world. The Knights of St.. John had founded an honourable and ancient order at a time when no such thing as the care of the injured or KSick, in an organised form was existent in the world.

Mr Gilmorc Sen. spoke of the organisation of the movement- which he said embraced many lands and peoples, lie invited questions and suggested that for their mutual benefit something resembling n friendly conference should fake placc. Mr Gilmorc was very explicit in his remarks on the respective scopes of the two organisations of St. John •and of the Red Gross Society. The. •questions of several ladies present with reference to the work and conduct of. the Red Gross Society Avere -answered fully and clearly.. The name 'Red Cross,' lie; said was mere-. Qy a term for the nursing and care of the wounded during war. It was synonomous with the. movement set up by any country to attend to its wounded or sick in the battlefield and carried out these activities under the banner depicting a red •cross. Such movements had nothing "Whatsoever to do w'ith the Red "Cross Society which was an organisation entirely apart and set up permanently as an 'international •movement quite apart from war.. He lioped the. Avhole position was clear.

Mr L. Buddie then spoke in li|s •capacity its chairman of the Whakatane Hospital Board. He stated that when the motor ambulance had been purchased the Board frankly -anticipated trouble in finding driv-•-ers but experience had shown .that the. Brigade had stepped into tlu breach and was ready at any time •of the day or night to met a call in town or country. Moreover the movement had demonstrated that it was prepared to devote a lot of time todwards training its personnel and -maintaining . a high standard of •cfficiencj*. He expressed, the board's gratitude for the willing services it had rendered without fuss or bother. Dr T. Dawson endorsed the loregoing remarks thanking both the -Association and the Red Cross Society . The meeting closed on a friendly and informal chat with the visitors, who left on Wednesday morning for Ilotorua en route to Auckland "where they will participate in the official celebrations of the St. John Anniversary.