THE AMBULANCE CELEBRATIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9172, 21 August 1908, Page 5

THE AMBULANCE CELEBRATIONS.

VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR TO MASTERTON A BRIEF BUT BUSY ITINERARY. The hopes of the local ambulance authorities saw their consummation yesterday when the Governor visited Masterton m connection with the demonstration given by the Brigade at the Town Hall in the evening. Lord Plunket arrived from Wellington by the mid-day express, the High School Cadets, under Captain Haslam and Lieuts. Bunting and Sutt'in fotming a guard of honour at the station, the Mayor (Mr P. L. Rollings) anu the members of the Borough Council, a'ong with other representative townsmen being also at the station to receive his Excellency, who was accompanied by CaDtain Gath-orne-Hardy, A.D.C. The Governor passed through the lines of the Cadets, exchanging a lew words with the officers en route, and was driven to town in a motor-car, being escorted by two mounted policemen. After lunching at the Club Hotel the Governor was escorted by the Mayor and ambulance officers on a motor tour of places of interest. His Excellency first visited the Hospital, with which he was favourably impressed, and where he spoke a fe»' words to the patients. A visit was next paid to St. Bride's Convent. After being received by the members of the community they were shown to the school room, where two of the pupils played a pianoforte duet. The Glee I Class, the members of which had just assembled for a lesson tang "Rest thee on this mossy pillow." His Excellency addressed those present, and thanked the Nuns for their genial welcome and the pupils for their concert. He was sorry other calls on his time would not admit of his making a longer stay, but lie could not leave without saying a few words to the children of the school. He told them their first duty was to their God and their Religion. This, he said, he knew was in safe hands; their next duty was to the King, the Empire and their country. In King Edward VII. they had a monarch whom they all loved and respected. The Empire was the freest in the world, and New Zealand was a growing lit.le country which he knew they all loved. In the Convent and Catholic Schools of New Zealand there was one thing they were taught perhaps better than anywhere else, and that was politeness, respect for their elders and for the time being, their betters, and he hoped when they left school, they would not forget the excellent training they had received from the Nuns. After partaking of light refreshments, his Excellency and party left for the Fishponds, where the curator (Mr J. Miller) gave the distinguished visitor a graphic account of the work of trout-reaving, the Governor being much interested. ' Afterwards the new Technical School was visited, and then the Park, to where the amoulance brcughsm was taken for his Excellence's inspection. The party then adjourned to Mr A. E. Winzenberg's photographic studio, where a group was taken. Afternoon tea at Misses Whitcombe's "Arcadia" tea rooms, the first official portion of the proceeding:', was set down for 4 p.m. in the afternoon, and at this hour about fifly persons were assembled at the function. The Governor made a few brief remarks. The tea passed off very successfully.

TdE EVENING PROCEEDINGS

INTERESTING SPEECHES. APPROVAL OF THE DISTRICT NURSE PROPOSAL. There was a large attendance at the demonstration Town Hall in the evening. The Mayor, after introducing His Excellency in a few cordial words, said it was a honour which the Brigade and which the town appreciated considerably to have the Governor pi-esent to assist the cause of ambulant work in the district. It was impossible to overestimate the value of ambulance work, and the local corps had more than once justified its existence, and proved the benefits accruing from the presence in the town of trained ambulance officials. The speaker wished to make it perfectly clear that ambulance work was in no way opposed to the interests of the medical profession, but on the contrary was an auxiliary force in the field of human suffering. It frequently happened that on occasions n doctor was not near when very much was required, and the presence on such an occasion of ambulance membeis was a great blessing, as they could remitr valuable assistance until a doctor arrived. An object of the local corps of a most commendable nature was the endeavour which is being made to raise funds for securing the services of a trained district nurse to work among the families of the poor. The speaker had known cases where a husband and father had to stay at home to tend a sick wife through the lack of means to obtain the services of a trained nurse. The Mayor expressed a strong hope that the people of the district would recognise the great value of this object, and accord it hearty support. Personally, he was of opinion that the time had arrived when a knowledge of first aid should be included on the curriculum of our public schools, not perhaps as a compulsory subject, but as an optional one, and no doubt it might be found more useful than some subjects now included in the school syllabus. Mr Ilollinge, in referring to the non-arrival of the Govern u' on Wednesday, assured His Excell.-'ticy that the people of Masterton fully re. ognisod that during the last ten days His Excellency had had many very important engagements on hand, and they could quite understand the mistake having arisen. The Mayor then paid a tribute to the gencrtus and spontaneous assistance rendered to the ambulance cause in Masterton by the medical profession. (Applause). But for the services given gratuitously by the local doctors there mignt have been no corps at all in Masterton, and he wished to thank them publicly for their services. He then invited the Governor to give an address. His Excellency was greeted with prolonged applause on rising to

speak. He said it was his first duty to apologise to the people of the town for the unfortunate mistake regarding his arrival, for which he was sincerely sorry. "Though an Irishman," said His Excellency, "I cannot frame a sufficient excuse." As the Mayor had said, the round of engagements during the past fortnight, with continued alterations, had accounted for the error. He assured the audience that his Masterton engagement had been in his mind all along as his most important appointment after Auckland, Should he again be invited he promised there would not be a repetition of the mistake. Passing on, His Excellency said he thought it was a good sign that importance was attached to the visit of the representative of the king on occasions of the present kind, not from the standpoint of loyalty, as that was not in question, but because it showed a healthy spirit of prcgress, and showed that the people were above the plane of parochialism, and they recognised the worthiness of their cause. It was the second time within six months that he hid been invited to the town, "the last occasion b-iing during the progress of your very fine Show," said His Excellency. Regarding the work of the St. John Ambulance Association, no where in the world was it doing greater and more useful work than in New Zealand. In Mastert*in the corp--. had taken on its shoul ler 3 one of the best objects of the As.?oria ion, in the matter of endeavouring tu provide a (list ict nurse The most important branch of the Association in New Zealand was in Wellington, and in Auckland, where they had energetic workers too, it was asked why was Wellington so strongly supported by the public? Hid Excellency hid told them it was because that, while first aid work was duly recognised, the noble and valuable work done by the district nurses was still more appreciated. Whether Masterton required a district nurse vn* for the district it-elf to say. but in the Old Country —in Ireland—they would not be without their district nurse?. His Excellency suggested one small matter to the local corps. There was a society in Wellington in which Lady Plunket was particularly interested—namely, the Society for the Protection of Infant Life. This Society w.is doing valuable work, for'although the infant mortality in New Zealand was lower than in many other countries it was still very high, and the birth-rate was also declining. If the local corps could procure a district nurse with special qualifications in respect of the work of infant life saving it would no dou„ t be a very great inducement to the public to support it. His Excellency heartily endorsed the sentiment- of the Mayor re disseminating a kno,.dedge of first aid, as it\was of enorm us advantage to the community. It was often that persons four:d themselves lamenting that they posscssed no .knowledge of what to do in urgent c o'sof sickness or accident where tho<G near and dear to them were concerned, and the services of a medical nan were not immediately available. In conclusion, His Excellency wis' ed the local branch every possible success, and expressed the pleasure it gave him to be of any assistance to the movement. (Loud applause). The presentation of certificates was then made by the Governor, the following being the recipients: —Mr A. Donald, warrant of office as superintendent; Miss Nellie Gillespie, third examination; second examination, Messrs H. Russell, A. Don- ] aid and A. J. Parton; first aid certificates, Mrs Sykes, Misses K. Camp- ] bell, G Dixon, J. Harris, E. Heyhoe, ( A. L. Joy, E. S. Joy, Keith, Gillanders, Pauling, E. Robins, N. Robins, E. Tankerslev"snd S. Tar.ker?l n y. 1

The following programme was then given by members of the corps, the Governor*' viewing the proceedings from the dress circle .-—Stretcher drill (Brigade Supt. Donald) —Fractured thigh—On a station, leader, A. J. Parton; in the street, H. P. Brasell; in the house, L. H. Lewis; at the Show (ambulance section in attendance), A. C. Feilding. Roller Bandaging—-Head, Miss E. Heyboe; hand, Miss G. -Dixon; forearm, Miss H. Robins. "Artificial respiration (to the apparently drowned or suffocated) —Sylvester's method, L. H. Lewis; Howard's method, H. P. Brasell; Schafer (new) method. A. J. Parton. Triangular Bandaging— Arrest of haemorrhage from the pain: of hand, Mrs C. Beale, vaiicose vein, Miss Tankersley; fractured jaw, Miss B. Joy. Fractures-- Collar bone (Clavicle), A. C. Fielding; forearm (Radius or Ulnar), L. Jones and A. Miller; knee-cap (Patella), H. C. Williams and D. Hebpnton. Roller bandaging—-Leg ai d foot, Mrs A. J. Parton; spic.a for shoulder, Miss Harris. Bed-making and changing sheet,- (1) upp-r sheet; (2* lower sheet; (3) lower sheet for fractured pntiint, Misses N. Joy, Keith and Robins. Arrest of haemorrhage— From wound in for?arm, C. H. Anderson; temple, A. Billington; transverse abdominal wound, H. C. Williams. In active service, treatment of soldier wounded in action; wou.ndy received, fractured leg and scalp wound —Bearer corps, under Superintendent Donald; nurses' corps, under Superintendent Gillespie. The patient is treated by bearer corps and taken to hospital, where nurses make preparations for doctor's visit. A number of selections w?re -played by Mr Reihana Boyes' orchostra. The various exercises were carried out with care and precision, and it was obvious that the instruction given at the ambulance classes had not been lost upon the pupils. Each exhibition was followed hy a round of hearty applause, his Excellency taking a keen interest in the performance and joining in the applause. The function was brought to a fin- , ish «it 945 o'clock, the Governor then taking a farewell of the Mayor and ambulance officials as he leaves for Palmers ton North this morning. The arrangements in connection with the gubernatorial visit and the various functions were carried out without a hitch, the ambulance officials, and particularly Messrs A. J. Parton and A. Donald, deserving credit for the csre they exercised in the management of affairs. The Wellington and Wairarapa Motor Company and Mr W. H. Beetham very generously placed a motor car each at the disposal of the committee, the cars being given plenty of work, and the officers being very grateful for their use.