“Several” Refusals To Take Blood Test

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31983, 9 May 1969, Page 20

“Several” Refusals To Take Blood Test

(New Zealand Press association) PALMERSTON NORTH, May 8. No Palmerston North doctor was available to take a blood test on Sunday evening from a driver who returned two positive breath tests.

A police spokesman said “several” doctors were, telephoned on Sunday evening and asked to come and take a blood test.

Some of the doctors were ■at home, but said they were on emergency service. They .declined 'to come. A spokesman for the Medical Association of New Zealand in Palmerston North, said yesterday that other doctors would “probably” have to help in taking blood samples as’there was .only one police surgeon in Palmerston North.

The spokesman said doctors generally felt obliged to take the blood test as a community service.. - The .pplice spokesman said charges arising from the positive, blood- tests would hhve to be dropped, although other arising from the incident would probably be brought. 1 , . ' He said the time involved s for the doctor on emergency icall'Jfo. go to the .police station and, take a blood test would not be much, and the doctor would still bq, bn call . through the police telephone , if a genuine emergency came r in. It would be possible to j divert the doctor quickly. The police spokesman said the implications of the inci- ■ dent were disturbing:

It was not always possible to get ' the police ' surgeon, and it was honed, after the statement by the M ANZ, yesterday, that it would be possible to get another doctor when the police surgeon was not available.