RED CROSS SOCIETY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 171, 6 August 1937, Page 6

RED CROSS SOCIETY

Ball and Reveille Give Benefit to Funds EXAMINATION SUCCESSES Many matters of interest were discussed at.the monthly meeting of the Hastings Red Cross Society whicli was presided over by Mr W. B. Hobbs in the unavoidable absence of the chairman, Mr Selwyn Averill. The Lady McLean Shield eornpetition ia home nursing for teams of Red Cross trainees from the various sub-centres in Hawke's Bay was held on July 26 in Napier. The Hastings A team, comprising Mrs L. T. Roberts (captain), Mrs Robson (adjutant) Misses B. Brown, E. Frame, I. Ware and I. Spence, were successful in gaining second place, while the ^Hastings B team, comprising Miss Nancy Sigley (captain), Miss P. Rae (adjutant), Misses T. White-Parsons, S. Tyres, -L. Farmer and M. Epps was placed third. This is a distinct improvement on last year's results and the Hastings teams were congratulated by the chairman. The Dr. Collins Cup eornpetition for home nursing, which. is open to teams from all parts of the Dominion, is to be held at Palmerston North during the forthcoming week-end. The Hastings sub-Centre is to be represented by its A team, which has been training assiduously for some weeks past and which will leave for Palmerston North by car and train to-day. This eornpetition is a severe test and tlie standard of work required is so high as to be on a par with examinations prpscribed for trained nurses. Ball and ReveiHe The balance sheet of the Red Cross annual ball and Reveille, presented by the treasurer, Mr A. C. Hyde, and the reports, presented by the seeretary, Mr L. T. Roberts, disciosed that both were an unqualified success, and had resulted in a considerable addition to the, society' s funds and wiil enable the society' s work to proceed unhampered through lack of finance. It was also reported thafc the proceeds from the Reveille show would have been considerably increased but for the nnfortunate psychological etfect of the earthquake which occurred during the second performance. The producer, Mr W. l:ints, had stated that his experience of over 30 years led him to the beJief that whenever attendances on a second night almost trebbled that of the first night, ifc was practically a certainty that the remaining performances would show a proportionate increase in. attendances, whereas, in the case of tHe recent Hastings show, the attendances after the second night remained constant. One unfortunate feature on the es:penditure side of the Reveille show was the large item for wages of theatre attendants and musicians. The majority of tlie workers employed, and there were a, large nnmber of them, claimed award rates despite the fact that the show was a charity effort. The society in the first place had made all arrangements for staffing of the theatre, but under the new awards only members of . the Theatrical Workers IJnion are employable. The fact that such workers may be employed during the daytime on other occupations and under other awards makes no difference. The society is grateful to all those who voluntarily offered their services either on the stage or elsewhere in the theatre, andi in particular to the V.A.D. girls who sold programmes. Nursing Examinations Out of 46 trainees, 24 sat the recent home nursing examination and all passed with credit, which reflects very favourably on the excellent work put in by the lecturer, Sifeter Norman. The H. J. Crieve Challenge Cup was won by Miss Peggy Rae with the splendid total of 94 marks. The winner of the junior section, Miss E. Fulford, also obtained 91 marks, a highly creditable performance for a junior. In furtherance of the Red Cross ideal of service for others, arrangements are now being entered into whereby Hastings V.A.D. 's who have the time will be able to proceed to Otaki Health Camp and render assistance in the proper i staffing of same. At " the conclusion of the Reveille show, the Dominion president of the Red Cross Society, Mrs T. H. Lowry, O.B.E., announced that in return for their time and services voluntarily- offered', full membership in the- society would be conferred upon all performers and that appropriate ^ membership badges would be available sliortly. •In view of the fact that the society was collaborating jvith the New Zealand Trained Nurses' Association in the raising of £100 as a donation to the Florence Nightingale Fund, it was decided to coritribnte the sum of £2 10/-. A preliminary announcement to the effect that the society would be cooperating with the Orippled Children's Committee in the supply of clothing was made, and it is anticipated that Hastings Sub-Centre will be able to assist in the case of those children, in hospitals who originated! from the Hastings distriet.