ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21876, 11 August 1934, Page 15

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

DECLINE IN INCOME INCREASING EXPENDITURE Officials of the Auckland centre of the St. John Ambulance organisation are concerned at the considerable loss of income apparent in the recent returns. While the expenditure has increased, there has been a fall in payments to the organisation,. which has on file scores of letters from persons to whom service has been given expressing inability to meet their responsibilities. The small amount of income derived from service to patients is no doubt due to economic difficulties, and the ambulance authorities recognise that there must be a substantial percentage of such losses. In recent weeks, however, there has been a marked increase in expenditure, and this is a matter which has been receiving much attention from the executive of the organisation.

"Last month was a record for work." commented Mr. S. E. Langstone, manager of the organisation, yesterday. "July was a record in another way. There was never less money received." Mr. Langstone said details of the activities of the staff during July were significant of the great amount of work requiring attention in Auckland. The four district nurses paid 1319 visits to the homes of the suffering and the distressed, and, in addition, they attended 398 patients at the Rutland Street headquarters. The four nurses travelled 1337 miles in the course of their work. The transport officers effected 327 transfers of patients, besides carrying 480 patients. The ambulances were engaged on journeys totalling 6124 miles, some 2000 miles more than in the previous month. The outpatients treated at the Queen's Wharf branch station numbered 343, while 90 patients were treated at Rutland Street. "There were more than 300 patients on the books at the end of July," the manager commented. "Only eight made small cash contributions." Mr. Langstone said a serious difficulty before the organisation was the meeting of a large overdraft incurred in connection with the new building recently completed.