RIVAL AMBULANCES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 931, 29 November 1933, Page 5

RIVAL AMBULANCES.

Move to Stop Overlapping Services. COMMITTEE'S CRITICISM. The activities of rival ambulance services in the city came in for a good deal of criticism at a meeting of the Appeal Sub-Committee of the St John Ambulance Association last evening. Mr G. Peek introduced the question when he made the statement that a rival service had raised the sum of £l2O in the Scargill district. “We should concentrate on the country districts, as until such time as we do that the people will not know the difference between the St John Ambulance and other services,” he added. The chairman (Mr C. W. Hervey) said he thought the subject one for the General Committee. “ I am not surprised,” said Mr E. H. Marriner, “ for how can we expect the country people to know the difference i when the town people don’t?” Mr J. Dickson moved that it be a recommendation to the executive that a meeting be called for the purpose of sending a delegation to Wellington to interview the Minister of Health on the question of the overlapping of ambulance work in the district. Dr J. R. Thomas said that an Act of Parliament had been put through years ago for fire brigades, and that was only to save the people’s pockets. He added that it was ’ a funny thing that they could not get an Act put through for the saving of life. The chairman said that he would probably be in Wellington soon and agreed to see the Minister of Health, for the purpose of getting him to meet a deputation. It was agreed that it be a recommendation that the deputation consist of Drs J. R. Thomas. F. J. Burrie, Messrs A. Williams and G. Peek.