INJURED VISITORS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 32

INJURED VISITORS.

ONE IN THREE THOUSAND. During the past six months, the chances of visitors being injured in any way at the Exhibition have proved to have been one in three thousand. This is shown bv the figures at the St. John Ambulance depot at the rear of the Amusements Park, where, in all, 1000 cases of all kinds have been received since the Exhibition opened. Such a record speaks volumes not only for the careful and orderly spirit in which the vast crowds have enjoyed all that the Amusements Park and the Exhibition has to offer in the way of entertainment, but also for the care exercised by the police and Exhibition authorities, to see that no undue risks were taken by anybody. For instance, it was found that “brush-burns,” or skinning of the body by friction, were fairly frequent when one of the big and most popular slides opened. Almost immediately came the decree that ladies with short-sleeved dresses were to wear gauntlets on the slide, and the result was that the willing attendants in St. John headquarters noticed a great decrease in the number of patients suffering from this typical Exhibition complaint. It is widely recognised that the Exhrbition station of the brigade has performed one of the noblest public services incidental to the Exhibition. Every afternoon and evening voluntary workers have been on duty waiting for the arrival of visitors who have hunted amusement with too great a vigour, or have been crushed in the huge crowds that, on various occasions, have assembled in various parts of the grounds. Though the number of accidents has proved remarkably small, the need for the brigade has been a very real one, and 1000 Exhibition visitors will testify to tbe magnificent work of the Good Samaritans who wait while others play. The men who have been in charge of the Exhibition station, and to whom great credit is due for the organising and supervising work that has been clone, are Messrs J. H. Hanson, who has been in charge of the Exhibition headquarters, and Mr J. (J. White, the superintendent of the brigade, Both are completely satisfied with the re suit? of the work during the ' past six months, and both are loud in their praise of the efforts of the brigade members who have been on duty at Logan Park. “We fully realise that the station has been of the greatest benefit to the public,” said Mr Hanson in tbe course of an interview on Friday. “The Exhibitioi, authorities would certainly have been in queer street if there had not been ome organisation of the kind in case of accident. In my opinion the number of accidents in the Exhibition has been remarkably low. and although there are 1000 cases on the books, by the time one takes out faints, toothaches, headaches, and sufferers from over-excitement, the proporotion of major accidents and all accidents directly caused by the Exhibition devices, iir comparison to the numbers present, is negligible. Minor accidents must be expected whereever there is a big public gathering. “The rooms, though not originally intended for an ambulance headquarters have proved ideal for the purpose, and we have nothing but praise for the way vve have been considered by the Exhibition authorities.” In conclusion, Mr Hanson observed that one of the busiest days for the attendants at the depot was the opening day of the Exhibition, when so many suffered from the jostling they received in the big crowds that gathered. He hoped that today would show a decided improvement, as practically all who will be present are now experienced Exhibition goers, and have learned to be careful.