WANTED—A HURRY WAGGON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16923, 23 December 1922, Page 8

WANTED—A HURRY WAGGON.

Part of the equipment of metropolitan police stations in Europe and America is a “ hurry waggon,” a mptor vehicle which is kept ready to respond immediately to emergency calls for assistance. The crew of the waggon are trained to deal with the disorderly,” who may be arrested end bundled off to the cells, or the casualty,” who may be taken to a 1 hospital or his home. The system ensures that cases of either sort will be dealt with quickly and effectively. Me are moved to make these remarks by an incident which occurred in one of the principal thoroughfares of the city yesterday afternoon. An elderly man suffering from a seizure fell }<avily on the footpath, probably adding concussion to his other trouble. Passers-by immediately gave what assistance they could, and the police station was communicated with at once. The- sufferer was unconscious for seme time, and when he revived somewhat he was unable to speak or stand. It was fully twenty minutes, if not !< nger. before a constable arrived on the scene— on a bicycle. In the meantime the unfortunate patient had been lyng on the footpath, the subject of kindly but unskilful ministrations, and tiie centre of a curious and evergrowing crowd, A compassionate citizen placed himself and his car at the disposal of the officer, and the man was lifted into the car and driven to his home. The constable was both prompt and helpful when he arrived, but it was apparent to the people who concerned themselves about the sufferer that some riore expeditious system was required. People invariably look to the polio© to ccc in cases of this kind—it is a compliment to the confidence they have in the Force that they do. The central station should be equipped with a hurry waggon to enable assistance to be given w ithout any painful or dangerous delay. It is not creditable to a city like this that a respectable citizen, in a condition demanding immediate and sympathetic medical attention, should be lying on a publio footpath for such a long time. We hope to see the Police Department take the necessary steps to 6o equip its central stations that emergency calls of the kind described may be dealt v.dth expeditiously.