FREE AMBULANCE APPEAL APPROVED

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19206, 21 October 1930, Page 3

FREE AMBULANCE APPEAL APPROVED

£IOOO PROMISED BY SIR HEATON RHODES. Approval of the scheme proposed by the St John Ambulance Association for I the inauguration of a free ambulance , service in the North Canterbury dis- . trict, was given at a meeting of representatives of local bodies and public i organisations last evening. It was de--1 cided to launch a public appeal imme- ’ diately and it was announced that Sir Heaton Rhodes, M.L.C., had already , promised a donation of £IOOO. ’ Those present were: Dr J. R. Thomas ; (chairman), Dr P. J. Rorrie, Messrs H. “ L. Bowker, G. Peek (St John Ambulance Association), E. 11. Andrews j (City Council), W. Hayward (Tramway Board), C. S. Thompson (Educa- . tion Board), G. T. Thurston (Trades l and Labour Council), A. E. Flower [ (Rugby Union), J. W. Graham and C. W. Hervey (Employers’ Association), W. T. Foster (Lyttelton Borough Coun- ! cil), J. Leslie (Paparua Countv Council), and Dr T, Mill (British'Medical ' Association). j Plans for New Building. > The chairman said that since the - meeting held on August 6 three sets of i plans had been before the committee. : When the first were considered it was - seen that the section on which the as- , sociation’s offices stood was too small i even for a three-storey building. The . general committee of the association then entered into negotiations with an . adjoining property owner and was for- : tunate in securing, at a moderate cost, . another piece of land at the rear. This [ had enabled the architect to provide ; sufficient accommodation in a two- . storey building. The building would . provide class-rooms, offices, accomnioda- • tion for the St John Ambulance . Brigade, and garage accommodation [ for six ambulances, with living and . sleeping quarters for the drivers. The j approximate cost would be £13,000. . Towards this the association had £IOOO in hand and the promise from a wellknown citizen of another £IOOO. Cost of the Scheme. Details of the capital cost and the : approximate annual cost of the scheme . were submitted by the association. The [ estimated cost of the proposed building . and furnishings was shown at £13,300, and three new ambulapces, repairs to two existing ambulances, tools and garage equipment. £36so—a total of £16,950. The annual charges for administration were shown at £678, and the running of five ambulances at • £I7S4 6s 3d. Mr Peek said that Sir Heaton Knocies had expressed the opinion that the service should be started as soon 1 as possible and he had suggested that . a public meeting should be held. To s help things along he had made a donation of £IOOO to the fund. (Ap- • plause.) Proposed Art Union. Mr Peek said that the Government 5 would not give a reply regarding the • request for an art union until next 2 month. “Why not make a direct appeal?” I asked Mr Thompson. "The idea of conducting an art union is obnoxious .to quite a few of us and I would prefer that we should try a direct appeal.” Mr Peek said it would take a long time to raise £16,000 by an appeal to the public. In the meantime the people who subscribed would be wanting to know when they were to get the service. Some of the members of the St John Ambulance Association's committee did not like the idea of an art union, but they realised that it was the easiest . way of raising a lump sum of money in a short time.. It was decided to launch a public appeal without delay. On the motion of Mr Hervey it was t decided to obtain the services of an - organiser.