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During the year under review the chief work done by the service has been:—
(1) The conveyance of physically and mentally defective and blind and stammering children to
and from school. There are in all 242 such children on the list for conveyance and on the
average 185 are conveyed daily along 13 different routes.
(2) The conveyance of cases of sickness, accident, maternity and infectious disease to hospitals.
8,378 such cases were removed in 1937-38. A number of these cases are out-patients taken
to and from hospital for treatment.
(3) The transport of laundry to the Maternity Hospital, three Health Centres, Special Schools,
Mortuary, Lower Place Nursery and Public Health Department.
(4) Conveyance of meals from the Feeding Centres to the Physically and Mentally Defective
Schools and Old field Road Infants' School.
(5) Conveyance of children to feeding centres from Wykeham, Braintcroft, Wesley Road and
Stonebridge Schools.
(6) Certain works for other departments.
Staff—The staff at 31st March, 1938, consisted of a Mechanic Superintendent, who is also
Engineer to the Hospitals; one assistant engineer; one skilled handy man ; and 20 motor drivers.
There were thus 16 vehicles to be manned and a night service maintained with 20 drivers.
Garage.—There is now available at the Garage at the Municipal Hospital accommodation for a
total of 31 vehicles allowing 200 square feet for each and paved spaces uncovered for approximately
12 more.
Storage Plant.—A petrol storage plant was installed in January, 1915, at a cost of £91 and
saves about £86 per annum on present consumption, being the difference between the cost of bulk
petrol and petrol in 2-gallon tins.
Workshop Plant.—This is in good order and effects a great saving both in motor and hospital
repairs. Certain additions are required to this plant, for example, apparatus for brake testing and
welding. It would not be necessary to get these appliances for the Ambulance Station only but they
would be used at the central workshop which the Council have under consideration.
Cost.—The analytical table of costs prepared by the Finance Department is appended.