AMBULANCE QUESTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9514, 23 November 1916, Page 3

AMBULANCE QUESTION

HARBOUR BOARD VIEWS MOTOR TO BE ORDERED FOR WATERFRONT. At- the monthly meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board last night the chairman (Mr C. E. Daniell) made a statement' with regard to the question of securing a motor-ambulance to ensure more prompt attention in the case of accidents on the waterfront. The chairman said that he thought himself that the City Fire Brigade was the right body to have control of such a convenience. He had seen the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) and the chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (Mr Baldwin) in regard to the matter, with the result that he had two proposals to submit to the board.

The first- was that the City Council should provide a site —that now occupied by the band rotunda in Jeryois quay—and erect on it a suitable ouilding capable of housing a motorambulance. or two if neeessary. The city was also to Do responsible for the care of the car and provide two additional firemen to look after and drive the car; while the Harbour Board was to provide the motor-ambulance and pay the city £2OO a year for the services mentioned, and also provide a second car if required, of which the city would take charge without further expense to tho'board. The alternative scheme was that the Harbour Board should provide a motor-ambu-lance for the exclusive use of the waterfront and house it in the shed at the foot of the Railway-wharf now occupied by the rocket apparatus. A number of the board’s staff werq export ambulance mefa, the slied in question was near the mechanics’ shop, where a number of men were employed who could drive the car at any hour in the day, and the engineer could provide men from the pumping station for most hours of the night. This alternative scheme was supported by thu employers on the water front, and also by the Waterside Workers’ Union. He had obtained quotations from several people, and found that a mo-tor-ambulance similar to that ,used by the military could he obtained for £2lß—a Ford chassis with an ambulance body; while other quotations for the chassis alone were from £2OO to £350. Almost any man cotild drive the military type of ambulance-motor referred to. It would be light and quick, and ho suggested that such a car should bo obtained. They had had an accident on the wharf only the day before that they were not able to provide for as quickly as they would have liked to. Under ordinary conditions the ambulance-motor in question could be got in six weeks, but with the holidays ctiming on it would take eight weeks. They would, under the first proposal, have to pay the City Council £2OO a year, hut under the alternative scheme the only cost in addition to the price of the oar would he the payment for the services of the men as drivers, etc., as and when required. . COMBINATION SUPPORTED.

,Mr M. Cohen contended that the more extensive the use of such a vehicle the better. He thought, therefore, that the board should' combine with the city and the Hospital Board for the purpose as suggested in the first scheme.

The chairman, said that the City Council thought that only one motorambulance would he required, but he thought that two would be needed) one for the city and one forthewaterii'ont; and tho city wanted £2OO a year for what the Harbour Board would do quite well themselves at small cost. But if they got a motorambulance, and a satisfactory orgnnisstion w-as afterwards developed in connection with the Fire Brigade, they would be only too glad to band it over. t

Mr Hildreth thought with Mr Cohen that joint action by tho board and the City Council would be preferable. The wharves and accounts committee recommended the board to empower the chairman to purchase an ambulance for use on the waterfront, bqt did not decide anything as to whore the car should be housed. He thought they should get the car, arid settle the other point afterwards. The charge of £2OO a year was due to the fact that the City Council would havo to employ two additional firemen to look after and drive the car. While tho Mayor had suggested that tho Harbour Board should provide a second car if required, ho thought that the council would recognise that if a second car proved necessary tho council should pifrchas'o it. HOSPITAL BOARD TO GET ANOTHER AMBULANCE. Mr J. W. McEwan opposed the two previous speaiters. He thought that tho board, like Petonc, should have its own motor-ambulance. Ho considered that tho board would be going outside of its functions altogether if it provided a car for the "general use of the public of Wellington. It was absurd to ask the board to provide one car for the use of the wharves and for the general public of Wellington. If that were done, tho motor-ambulance might bo away when it was urgently required for an accident on the waterfront. That should not bo even thought of in such a connection. As a matter of fact, the Hospital 7 Board had decided at that day’s meeting to have another ambulance. It would, ho thought, be very unwise to unite with the city for the purpose, especially for the board to provide one ambulance only and pay the city £2OO a year. Mr H. L. Nathan urged that everybody connected with the waterfront held that tho board should provide an ambulance, and that it should be for solo use in case of accident round about the wharves. He contended that that was what the board should do. Air J. G. Harkness said that the business <hat night was to order tho “ ’bus.” The board would have to honso it, at any rate temporarily, in any case, as the City Council could not have the shod, or garage, ready in two months. Ho suggested that the hoard “should get on with tho ordering of the machine.” (Hear, Hear.) Mr A. McFarlane supported this' proposition. It was decided to purchase ji motorambulance, of the type proposed, for sole use on the waterfront.