AMBULANCE AND FIRE BRIGADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 242, 13 October 1933, Page 6

AMBULANCE AND FIRE BRIGADE.

I wish to point out that your correspondent sheltering under the 110111 de plume "Camacha' endeavours to "paint the rose," to "wit. the St. John Ambulance Association. The virtues and good work of the association I never questioned in my previous letter. Then in a facetious vein lie goes on to remark there is a difference in '"chalk and cheese." He is rigbt, and the difference between these two services is so wide they will not stand comparison in the light of Mr. G. W. Hutchison's remark that "the only difference is one i 3 maintained by voluntary subscription, the other a charge on the community." This portion of Mr. G. W. Hutchisons statement "Camacha" obligingly omits and is the piece de resistance of the whole statement. "Camacha"' then accuses me of overlooking the f aC ' that property destroyed by fire is made S 00 " by insurance companies and that the St. John A'mbulance saves life. It does, and I appre; ciate that just as fully as "Camacha. Property saving is but one phase of fi re brigade activities. The slogan of the service is "Life first, property next," and your correspondent would do well to visit a fire station and observe the varied drills performed _hy firemen with the sole object of saving life' Finally, I will again ask two questions: » as "Camacha" suggests the St. John Ambulance Association is just as important as tW lire brigade to the life of this city, why is still left to voluntary public support? , an extra service, for which we must pay directSecondly, if the lire brigade is of no more importance to the life of the city, why has it to long been taken out of the precarious existence of dependence on public support 3D only recently merged into a metropolitan boar controlled b'v some of our ablest business m® D ' G. W. DERRICK-