CITY AMBULANCE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 45, 21 August 1930, Page 11

CITY AMBULANCE

WORK OF MONTH

AIACARTHY TRUST GRANT

The City Ambulance Board met today, Mr. M. Marks presiding in the' absence of Mr. 0. J. B. Norwood, who j was prevented by sickness from at-j tending. There were also present J Messrs. A. J. M'Curdy,. AY. Greig, C. li. Chapman, F. Castle, D. J. M' Gowan, H. M. Jones, D. M'Kenzie, F. Cornwell, AY. Dutton, and the superintendent, Mr. F. Roffe. ! The chairman cordially welcomed Mr. Castle, wljo will now represent the Wellington Hospital Board, filling the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr. C. M. Luke,- and Mr. AY. Button,, who is temporarily taking the place of Mr. A. 0. Richardson as representative of. the St. John Ambulance on the board. ' Mr. Marks reported that tho deputation which had waited on the Mayor regarding the City Ambulance site had received a sympathetic hearing from his AVorship. Mr. Troup, however, was unable f,p givo any final answer to the board until arbitration matters between the City Council and the Fire Board over the present site of the Fire Board had been settled. A motion to.ask Mr. C. M. Luke to allow himself to be made an associate member of tho board was carried unanimously, as members felt that his services were too valuable to bo lost, ■Mr. Roffe reported that inquiries had been mado from Christchurch regarding the methods and constitution of the AVeUington,Service, and comprehensive data had been forwarded .on request. After tho correspondence had been read, Mr. Marks moved, and it was carried, that a minute be recorded expressing appreciation of the able way Mr. Norwood had supplied the information, which should strengthen the board's desire that Iho AVeUington City Ambulance should develop into a. New Zealand body. A grant of £150 from the, Macarthy Trust was acknowledged with thanks. The trustees wrote that in future it would be necessary when applying for a grant to show that the ambulance facilities were not being granted to persons able to pay for the service given. AVhile the board could not .give an absolute assurance that the ambulances did not carry people who were able to pay, said Mi-. Marks, he thought the board should express its vicw_ that, whilst in no case was a contribution asked for the use of the ambulance, thero had been no case where an individual had been able to pay and had not made a donation to tho ambulance funds, equal, if not in excess, of what would have been paid if no ambulance had been available and private conveyance had had to be arranged for. Tho system was not being taken advantage of by people of means. Mr. Chapman supported tho chairman, saying that lie thought n very good case could be made out for the present method of ambulance finance. .'Experience Had proved that tho people paid, and paid readily, and hundreds were paying weekly contributions whether they were, going to (receive the assistance of the ambulance or not. He felt that the Macarthy Trustees, if the matter was clearly placed before them, would continue to subscribe to the funds of the ambulance. It was left to Mr. Marks to draft a letter to the trustees setting out the City Ambulance's position. Special tribute was paid by tho chairman and members to the work of the superintendent, Mr.' Roffe, who is shortly going on annual leave, his tireless energy, organising ability, and. general efficiency winning high praise from all present. Practical recognition was also made of Mr. Roffe'a special services during tbe difficult period of the inauguration of the Ambulance Service in AVeUington.. At the meeting of the City Council this evening Councillor AY. J. Gaudin is to move, according to notice: "That the resolution passed at tho council meeting held on Thursday, 31st July, approving of the Betterment Bill without amendment, be rescinded."