MERCY AND PREPAREDNESS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21205, 30 August 1940, Page 6

MERCY AND PREPAREDNESS

Vith its eyes upon stirring events in the war overseas the public of New Zealand perhaps does not fully realise the work that is going on at home in order to fit the country to meet any emergency that may beset the Dominion. Apart from the military aspect of the organisation a great deal of work is being done by other organisations such as the St. John Ambulance Association, the Red Cross and the patriotic committees, which are laying a foundation the value of which may some day be realised. Besides the work of mercy which they encompass in times of peace their organisations are training ana preparing many men and women so that they will be useful in any sudden emergency. The annual meeting of the Hamilton branch of the St. John Ambulance Association disclosed that during the year the association had trained to the stage where they passed a stiff examination 193 first-aid workers, 56 home nursing students, 22 air raid precautions workers and 42 elementary first-aid students. That work is going on continuously, with the result that large numbers of trained men and women will be scattered through the population should their services be required. In addition the branch’s three ambulances travelled 25,447 miles and conveyed 1080 patients to hospital. What they have saved in agony to the sick or injured, or in life itself, it is difficult to estimate. The organisations concerned are thus laying the foundations of a service which in Britain at the present time is of outstanding importance. There the service embraced by air raid precautions covers every town and country district, and it is not known from day to day which unit will be called into feverish activity. Recently the units have been “standing to” every hour all over the country. New Zealand has so far mercifully escaped that necessity, but prudence suggests that precautions should not be relaxed but rather strengthened. Even in times of peace the knowledge and the services imparted are of definite value to the community, so that even if the services are not required to meet a war emergency they will not be wasted.