ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9169, 18 August 1908, Page 4

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

It is only natural that considerable interest should be taken by many in the community in reference to the visit which His Excellency the Governor will pay to Masterton tomorrow in order to present certificates to members of the local division of the St. John Ambulance Association. We recently made, an extended reference to the Association and to the goo.l work that is being done by the Masterton division, and, on the present occasion, therefore, j it is unnecessary to do more than to remind the gtnoral public that the object of to-nr.rrow's demonstration is to raise funds to maintain a district nurse., .As an instance of the uselul public service that the Masterton Division has already rendered, the brougham for the conveyance of invalids may be referred to. Such a vehicle was really an absolute necessity in/ a community cotnposad of humane human beings,- of which the fact that it has been called out, on an average, once a week since it was procured, is strong evidence. The Division, however, is put to expense in connection with the brougham, at. it seems that patients ir. necessitous cases are conveyed free of charge. A portion of the funds raised by Ambulance Saturday collections are used to meet this expendi- ! ture. There appears to be an errone- ! ous impression prevailing in some quarters that there should be no charge at all in every case, but a little reflection suffices to convince one; that such a proposition id unjustifiable, if not quite absurd. The Ambulance Division would have no objection if no charge were made in any case, provided the public guaranteed all expenses, but, as matters stand at present, part of the cost of maintenance has to be borne by those who are in a position t) pay for the services rendered. To our mind, there is no doubt that those who can pay should pay. People whose financial condition does not call for charitable actions on the part of others, are no more entitled to free conveyance to a hospital, or to medical treatment, or nursing, than they are to free groceries, or meat, or furniture. It is satisfactory to learn that the local members of the medical profession are favourably

impressed with the vehicle and recommend it in cases of accidents or fevers that have to be taken to the Hospital. Country settlers should not be backward in supporting the ambulance movement, as f he conveyance has often to go into the country, and it should be -rernem- | berad that the rougher the country the more necessary is the vehicle to j the welfare of the patient.