A NEW AMBULANCE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4988, 16 June 1926, Page 2

A NEW AMBULANCE.

DISCUSSION RY THAMES BOARD. COMMITTEE TO REBORT. Arising out of the. report of the medical superintendent at Monday’s meeting of the Thames Hospital Bdard the question of the unsuitability df the board’s motor ambulance was discussed.

Mr C. W. Kennedy asked if there had been a,ny communication from’ the Defence Department authorising the board to dispose of the present ambulance.

The chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) replied that the matter had been placed before the Director-General when he had visted Thames recently, but no leply had so far been received.

Mr E. L. Walton said that, the people on the Hauraki Plains were rather apprehensive about -the ambulance. The district was growing, and it was m desirable that in the event of illness or accident a, reliable ambulance should be available. He moved that an ambulance be purchased without delay.

Mr C. W. Parfitt seconded. Mr P. E. Brenan said that while he agreed that a new motor vehicle was desirable, it was an expensive item. He did not think that the condition of the roads the amount an ambulance would be used warranted an expenditure, fo a sum approaching £lOOO. It would be a better proposition to purchase a cheaper and smaller machine, and after a few years’ ■use trade it and get another new one. It was not desirable to delay in the matter. If it took as long to- get a reply from the Director-General about the ambulance as it did about the Paeroa hospital conference, then a long delay would ensue. The. chairman agreed that a cheaper vehicle would be the better proposition, and yet meet the requirements of the district.

Mr A. R. Robinson moved that the chairman Messrs Danby and Brenan be a sub-committee to go into the matter, with power to purchase a suitable machine.

Mr Kennedy thought that the committee was being given too/ much power. He was anxious to see a new machine, but considered that the committee should not do more than go into the matter and bring down a report.

Mr Robinson pointed out that a, report would only unduly delay the matter.

Mr Danby said he did not thifak it was quite fair that the committee should be expected to shoulder the responsibility of such a large expenditure.

The motion was accordingly altered to the effect that the committee bring down a complete report in time for the July meeting.