FREE AMBULANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 141, 16 May 1936, Page 8

FREE AMBULANCE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Allow me through the medium of your widely circulated journal to congratulate the writer of the letter oil the above subject, which appeared m the “Standard” of the lJtn inst. I can assure him that lie was not by any means standing alone, for on all siues we heard nothing but praise tor the good work they have done. It is quite evident they have not had the encouragement from a financial point of view that they deserve and require in order to continue. An appeal was made some months ago’ to tne local bodies embraced m the Hospital Board’s rateable area for iunus, tlie only one that made a donation of £5 being the Manawatu County Council, thanks largely to the chairman (Cr. Barber), one member dissenting. One is at a loss to understand the mentality of the members of these local bodies in this matter, when we take into consideration the generous treatment they and the large number of ratepayers have received for the last two years by way of subsidy of 12J- per cent, on their rates —no mean sum to many of them. The discussions at their meetings reported indicated that they were unanimous in their appreciation of tlie work and services oi the ambulance, but they felt they had a duty to protect the finances of the ratepayers. Allow me to remind them that they are allowed to spend money up to a certain amount chargeable to unauthorised expenditure. In conclusion I can (along with others) see no hope lor the Free Ambulance carrying on in the lace of the opposition they have to encounter. I quote Burns’s “Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.” —1 am, etc., JOHN NAIRN. Awapuni.