Dear Sir.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 6, 3 May 1939, Page 4

Dear Sir.

n 10 j Letters to the Editor must be , clearly written on one side of the paper. Where a nom-de.plume is used the name of the writer must be enclosed for reference purposes only. r " CAMPAIGN FOR AMBULANCE :r !S . Sir,—l desire to take this oppor. tunity of publicly expressing my admiration of the elForts being made by the Whakatane Public Ambulance Committee and particularly by Mr j. H. Carr, a member of the commit, tee, to raise funds for a public ambulance in Whakatane. So far, I j. understand, £250 has been raised, and that sum is approximately half of the amount required to be raised by public subscription. The total cost of the ambulance is estimated to be £650', but the public should be reminded that the committee expects (. to receive from the Government a j. subsidy of £150 on, the £500 which it , is hoped will be raised. Two years ~ ago Mr C. H. Burnett (ex M.P. for Tauranga) and myself secured from t the Hon W. E. Parry, Minister of > Internal Affairs, a promise that a sul.) j sidy would be paid on the basis above mentioned. The promise was given as a result of the fact that a similar effort in Tauranga had been re- , warded in a similar manner with a grant from the Government. The t Minister's promise was reiterated to | Mr H. Carr six months ago. It now remains for local people to find the ; other £250. The Hospital Board has agreed to take over and be respon- . sible for the running of the ambulance so soon as it is available. I wish to thank all who have sub. scribed to date and ask those who have not done so to assist to their utmost in raising the money still re. quired—by the end of 1939 at the , latest, f There seems to be an impression . among some people that ambulances • will be supplied by the Government ■ to Hospital Boards out of Social Sc.- : . curity funds. That idea is entirely i erroneous. Hospital boards will, as i i in the past, be responsible for equip, j i ping the institutions over which they ; have jurisdiction, and such pquip. , ment must be paid out of the board's < ; ordinary income from all sources. ] That income is, of course, subsidised ; by the Government out of the Con- ' solidated Fund. It rests entirely with ; the boards to dccide whether their ] income permits of the purchase of ' , an ambulance or ambulances. 1 Apparently the local board's in. , come has not permitted of such e\. ' penditure: thus the local Public ' Ambulance Committee has come into being. Public assistance has been, forthcoming for the same purpose in many centres for the same reasons 1 and always it is due to the unselfish 1 urge to assist a public body,, by a number of public spirited citizens getting together in a similar man- , ner to that which has taken place here. Readers will have noticed that only last week in Auckland, certain ] generous citizens donated four am. , bulances to the Auckland St. John's Ambulance Association which works in conjunction with the Auckland Hospital Board for the purpose oi' conveying patients to the Auckland hospital. The Whakatane committee is asking for one ambulance only at present, and their efforts deserve tiie . highest praise and gratitude of the j town and country folk in the Hospi. y tal Board district. I trust the assist, j. an.ee the public has given to date j. will continue till the sum of £500 f has been raised. Whakatane is tne largest town ip my electorate. I veil- j : tu re to say that there is not another {1 electorate in New Zealand the size oi mine, without an ambulance. 1 a trust that the Beacon will assist b in the appeal for funds and that duv_ ing the forthcoming Parliamentary — session I will be able to lift, the sub. sidy from the Government on behalf of the local committee. I am Yours etc. 1 A. G. HULTQUIST. WHY NOT SOCCER? Sir, —-As a keen player of the asso- ' ciation football game in England for many years 1 cannot help noticing the apparent lack of interest and support for the good old past.tinie in New Zealand. There is nothing like Soccer to bring out the best in young fellows and why it hasn't „

. caught on, in this country heats me | properly. I n conversationj eral who have come out from tbe Old Country within the pSst few years, I have learnt that they ten* # miss the game and feel that it would not be untimely to try and .Make a start in Whakatane with a few enthusiasts. From what I can see of it there would be no difficulty in. fielding two fairly strong sides. There are many young fellows too who while not actually disliking Ruglvsr feel that it is becoming anything but - scientific. Several I know are inter, ested in the proposal to form an as* sociation team. Now Mr' Editor this* is just,a feeler, and lam in the hopes that there will be others who will take the matter up and support me in my endeavour to introduce thej game that has the reputation of be. ing the King of all sports in the British Isles. Players of Soccer In ' Whakatane rally up and make a* ef- \ fort to resurrect the finest game off all. I am etc, ENGLISHMAN. f