Debate On Giving Names Of Injured

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 12

Debate On Giving Names Of Injured

(New Zealana Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 18. The question of whether the free ambulance service ahould withhold from the press the names of accident victims on the request of those injured was debated at today’s meeting of the Wellington Free Ambulance Board. The matter arose from a letter from the "Evening Post” objecting to the suppression of the name in a recent accident case. The victim had asked the driver not to reveal the name. The “Evening Post" said that many people had witnessed the case and might wonder why the name was not published. “Lived By Publicity" Presenting the letter from the newspaper, the chairman (Sir Charles Norwood) said the free ambulance service lived by publicity and “we are getting very little of it. “I would like the free ambulance service to get more than a measure of publicity

because we are not doing this for nothing.” Sir Charles Norwood said he did not see why a man who had been knocked down in the street should object to publicity. “I want the papers with us,” he said. Mr A. H. Carman: “I don't think we should buy publicity by ignoring the wish of a person. I don’t think withholding a name should result in the press refusing to give publicity.” Mr Carman said the primary duty of the free ambulance “is to help people and get them to hospital—not to supply information to the press.” He agreed that the free ambulance needed publicity “but not at the expense of people’s wishes.” Reports “Detrimental” Mrs B. C. Thomson said she was reluctant to give any information to the press after reading many reports concerning juniors detrimental to their welfare. “I feel quite definitely,” she said, “that the country would not be in such a mess had some of these dreadful reports not been published so as juniors are able to advance their ideas.” Mr J. Cable said all the information requested by the press should be referred to the superintendent “exclusively” for release. Mrs Tromson said she had no objection to the press referring to the superintendent for names. “It gives enough time to have the matter discussed by someone responsible.” she said. The meeting decided that information concerning cases handled by the Wellington Free Ambulance be released only by the superintendent.