TIMARU AMBULANCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21379, 23 June 1939, Page 5

TIMARU AMBULANCE

SAFE ARRIVAL AT GREYMOUTH By Telegraph—Press Association GREYMOUTH, June 22. Hears for the safety of an ambulance and patient which left Timaru foi Greymouth at 8 a.m. yesterday, and which had not arrived by midnight, were allayed when the vehicle arrived at 2.30 this morning, after a trip of 18/ hours. The ambulance was due in Greymouth early last evening with a young woman patient who was going to her home in Greymouth, and when it failed to put in an appearance considerable anxiety was felt. The Post and Telegraph Department, Railways Department and both the Automobile Association (Canterbury) and the Greymouth branch co-operated in an attempt to locate the ambulance at all possible points, and messages were sent out by radio stations. However, about 7.30 last evening, word was received in Greymouth that the ambulance had arrived at Arthur’s Pass and that the patient had stood the long journey well. Not attempting the climb over the Pass, the ambulance was trucked and sent through the Otira Tunnel at 10.30 p.m. The automobile patrol officer

(Mr J. Chapman) left Greymouth and drove the vehicle the remainder of the distance, arriving about 2.30 a.m. The reason for the delay is thought to be that the ambulance took the more circuitous route through Springfield owing to the Lake Linden road being in a worse condition and driving over which might have had an adverse effect on the patient.