FREE AMBULANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 121, 18 November 1943, Page 6

FREE AMBULANCE

QUICKLY ON THE SPOT

The attendance of the Wellington Free Ambulance at the recent railway accident near Haywards was the subject of comment by Sir Charles Norwood, chairman, at today's meeting o' the Free Ambulance Board. Implications to be drawn from the newspaper reports of the accident, he said, were: that the injured owed practically everything to the Americans. But, while not in the slightest belittlinf the magnificent work done by the Americans and by the medical ana nursing staff of the Trentham Hospital, he would point out that the fint ambulance cars to arrive at the scene of the accident were four belonging the Wellington Free Ambulance. "Tray were gone within a minute of the cal being received and travelled at some speed," added Sir Charles, "and they could have handled the entire outfit As it was, we took all the vital case;. Other members of the board agreed that the Free Ambulance had done a wonderful job in dealing with the accident. Sir Charles also referred to the stf gestion made recently by the Core* that there had been undue delay »» the part of the Free Ambulance a taking to the hospital a boy m Petone, the Coroner remarking «» had the boy in question recen* earlier treatment he might have nw the ambulance people not havwi realised the urgency of the case, aCharles said that when the Free Aim lance was first communicated w* regarding the case there was; w mention whatever of urgency. H tnei| had been, an ambulance would 11': been sent at once and not comw£ with a journey to Lower Hutt w another case. In the circumstances »■ did not think the Coroner's remanwarranted.