CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 80, 21 April 1937, Page 5

CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES

Red Cross and St. John Ambulance TO BE INVESTIGATED The co-ordination of the activities of the Red Cross Society and the St. John Ambulance Divigion in Hastings is to be investlgated. A decision to this effect was arrived at by the committee of the Hastings Red Cross Society last evening at the monthly meeting, and a sub-committee was set up for this purpose. The chairman, Mr. W. S. Averill, said that some agreement had^ already been reached whereby the division would specialise in the training of men, while the society would concentrate on the training of girls and women, both as regards to first-aid and home nursing. To meet the demand for a central depot where paicels of books, magazines, etc., could be left for handing on to hospitals, homes and the sanitoriuin, it was decided to place a suitable hox outside the Red Cross room for reception of such parcels as may be left by members and the general public. It was decided to hold the annual ball on Thursday, June 17, the evening of race day in Hastings. An energetic committee, headed by Mrs. Selwyn Chambers' and Mi's. R. Cashmore, was set up to ensure that the ball be one of the outstanding eventa of the year. Seeing that the society is urgently in need of funds for carrying on the work of the society and. in particular th© ©xcellent work of training school pupils and young women in first-aid and home nursing, it was felt that the ball should be made the means of greatly augmenting the society 's funds. It was decided to support the suggestion emanating from Napier that local industries should be represented, at the International Red Cross Bazaar (London) by special jars of honey to be procnred from the New Zealand Honey Producers Board. It was pointed out that work from certain of the schools in Napier was also being forwaided and that there was . a possibility of J. Wattie Canneries, Ltd., a local industry, being able to assist with samples of its products. Arrangements for the holding of the society 's annual meeting on Monday nextj April 26, at 8 p.m. in the society 's rpoms were confirmed. At this meeting the annual report and balance-sheet will be read and officers for the ensu-

iiig year elected. The wish was expressed that as large an attendance as possible be registered on this occasion. To assist the society financially in the exeellent work it is doing in the training of school pupils and young women in home nursing and first-aid, a special appeal had been despatched to 600 people residing in the district with a view to obtaining additional subscribers who woxxld pay at the rate of £1 I/- per annum. The faet that the society 's minimum subscription of 2/6 per annum was defeating its ovrn purpose and that a latge proportion of the public who could afford to contribute on a more generous scale, was not doing so, was one of the main reasons for this appeal and it was hoped that a good response would be met before the annual meeting. The committee noted with appreciation that the society 's aims and work had been recognised by the Lord Nuffield Committee and that a grant of £25 had been received for furthering the work of the society. For some time past, members of first aid and home nursing classes in Hastings have been handieapped by lack of adequate and xip-to-date equipment such as sterilisers, foreeps, etc. A grant of £10 was therefore made by the society fcr the purchase of • suitable equipment immediately. After some discussion concerning the desirability off qualified Red Cross girls assisting mothers in poor circumstances in cax'ing for children in the home, per» forming bousehold duties, etc., so as to relieve mothers who had recently undergone confinements of a goud deal of household cares and worries, it was decided not to take any action until the position had been fully investigated. In the meantixne it was decided to invite Dr. H. M. Wilson to speak on this subjeet at the forthcoming annual meeting.