S.O.S, CALL FOR FERRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 839, 6 December 1929, Page 16

S.O.S, CALL FOR FERRY

TRANSPORT OF INJURED MEN

EVIDENCE AT COMMISSION

A coincidence that counsel considered had an interesting bearing on evidence given before the Harbour Bridge Commission yesterday was reported at this morning’s sitting by Mr. D. N. Northcroft, counsel for the Devonport Steam Ferry Co. Mr. Northcroft referred to the evidence given by Dr. J. W. Craven, of Birkenhead, who had spoken of the inconvenience and danger of transferring patients at night to the general hospital. During the night an occasion had arisen when two men injured in an accident had to be transferred to Auckland. This was at one o’clock in the morning, and within ten minutes of the captain of the ferry boat being notified by telephone the crew had been mustered and the boat was under way. Mr. Northcroft said that Dr. Craven had communicated with the Ferry Company this morning to express his thanks and congratulate the company upon its promptness and efficiency. In evidence given before the commission it was stated that a head of steam was kept up all night on one of the vehicular ferries to meet any such contingency. Later in the proceedings Mr. G. P. Finlay, counsel for the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association, said he had ascertained from Dr. Craven that it took 45. minutes from the time the first man was approached at the wharf until the ferry boat was under way. Altogether it took one and a-half hours to land the patient at the hospital. Mr. Northcroft: Dr. Craven evidently regarded the performance good enough . to merit him getting into touch with officials of the company and congratulating them.