RECORD OF SERVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 6

RECORD OF SERVICE

ANNUAL REPORT OF ST. JOHN AMBULANCE FIRST AID AND NURSING Increased efficiency and good progress are recorded in the annual report of the St. John Ambulance Brigade just issued. In the Auckland district the cases attended on public duty totalled 6,390, while 5,359 cases were treated by members while not on public duty. “The nursing divisions have done splendid work,” states the report, and have between them nursed 102 cases privately, while the removals made by members of the divisions outside the Auckland corps totalled 226. The custom of taking a record of public duty performed on a certain Saturday in July was carried out again during 1929, but owing to unsettled conditions on the day chosen, a number of sports meetings were postponed; but even so the returns furnished give most satisfactory evidence of the activities of all divisions. The 108 members on duty at 48 sports grounds treated 300 cases. Extensive alterations have been carried out during the year at the headquarters in Rutland Street, and it is believed that this will prove the means of increasing the efficiency of the divisions and give more scope for the extending of the rapidly increasing work. Transport continues to occupy a prominent place in the activities, and is a credit to all those concerned. The - figures show that all records have been surpassed in this respect; the number of patients removed from January 1 to December 31, 1929, numbered 1,401, the number of miles travelled totalling 13,798. The staff employed on transport work also treated 3,481 cases on the Auckland wharves and 178 cases at the Ambulance Station, Rutland Street. A number of letters have been received commenting on the excellent work dbne. In Auckland brigade services totalled 13,367 against during the previous year. FIRST-AID CASES The annual reports furnished by corps and divisions throughout the Dominion show that the number of services performed during the last year was 36,226 against 28,523 for the preceding year, and 21,629 for 1927. The cases of “first aid attended to on public duty” totalled 14,864, against. 12,621 for the previous year, and 10,192 for 1927 —an evidence of continued progress. The Christchurh Railway Division stands at the-head of the list with 3,113 cases, followed by National Reserve (Auckland), 2,600, Auckland Division 1,903, Dunedin 1,312, Wellington 542, Hamilton 431, Whangarei 320, Wanganui 212, New Plymouth 190, Onehunga 159, Muntly 154, Timaru 150, Hillside Railway 140, East Town Railway 133, Northern Wairoa 116, Christchurch 100. Among the nursing divisions Auckland Nursing Division comes first with 445 cases, Wellington So.uth Nursing 380, Gisborne Nursing 361, National Reserve Nursing (Auckland), 261, Wellington Nursing 155. Wellington Suburban Nursing 145, Christchurch Nursing 105. The number of cases of “First Aid attended to NOT on Public Duty” totalled 17.596. the figures for J 928 being 13,415, and for 1927, 10,075. The principal contributors were: Hutt Valley Railway, 5.334: Otahuhu Railway, 4.223; Hillside Railway, 3,414: East Town j Railway, 600: Wanganui, 373; National Reserve (Auckland). 350; Dunedin, 310; Timaru, 213; Wellington, 175; Onehunga, 161: Christchurch Railway, 121. In the nursing units, Epsom Nursing records 237 cases, Auckland Nursing 223, Wellington Suburban Nursing 218, Dunedin Nursing 122. Caversham Nursing 106, Timaru Nursing 104. The officers of the Auckland district are as follow: —Commissioner. Mr. C. J. Tunks, M.B.E. (Knight of Grace of the Order) ; Assistant-Commissioner, Mr. F. J. Hutchinson (Officer of the Order): District. Surgeon, Dr. Neil MoDougall (Hon. Associate of the Order): District Officer (secretarial), Mr. Arthur W. Probert; Corps Superintendent, Mr. F. E. Schofield: Corps Surgeon, Dr. C. E. A. Coldicutt (Hon. Associate of the Order) ; Corps Officer, Mr. G. W. Gooderham; Corps Officer. Mr. U. Hitchon.