HOSPITAL MEDICAL STAFF.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 22 February 1905, Page 3

HOSPITAL MEDICAL STAFF.

338. HaKDIE -VEIL REINSTATED. 'He question of the reinstating of Dr. TPi die Neil as a. member of the hon. medical stafi at the Auckland Hospital discussed at a special meeting of Board held last night for the purof considering the report of the goyal Commission upon the management of that institution. Pγ. Neil's case was referred to by Mr vf E' Bloomfield, who argued that the dismissal of Dr. Neil whs a serious mat- . , B a d he not be dismissed his time on tie hon. medical stiff would have elapssd at the end of this month. He thought if Dγ- Neil had been wrongfully dismissed he should in justice be reinstated before his term of office was up. The Chairman (Mr John McLeod) said jt the time he did not agree with the decision of thu Board in the matter of di=misshi2 Dr. Veil- He thought that the least "the Boar/i could do in the face of the report of the Royal Commission to reinstate him as a member of the hon. medical staff. He moved cordinglyMr BloonxSeld seconded the motion. He said he had gone carefully into this matter and considered Dr. Neil should be reinstated. He had not come there to Jo battle for anybody, but he had followed the whole proceedings, though not at that time a member of the Board, and it was his opinion that Dr. Neil had be»n wrongfully dismissed. Hi- L. J. Bagnall said Mr Bloomfield ha"d not grasped the true position of affairs Dr. Neil was not dismissed for jjointr absent, or for anything in connection with the Whyte case, but for unprofessional conduct. All the members of the hon. medical staff, when asked the question, said that Dr. Neil's conduct w"s unprofessional, and uhat Dr. Collins was right in saying th.it Dr. Neil havin»r been guilty of unprofessional conduct, he felt justified, in declining to work with him. ilr Bagnall had said he had moved for Dr. Neil to be asked to resicm. Br. Neil did not ask far further inquiry, but wrote a letter to the Board, •which laid new eh-irges .against Br. Collins, and made serious references to the conduct of the Board. Dr. Neil was ffuilty of unprofessional conduct in going to the chairman of the Board instead of to the hon. medical staff if operations -sere not performed in a proper way. ifr Bloomfield: Is the Uoard goin~ to try the question of professional etiquette ? Mr Bagnall: No! that was settle by the members of the hon. medit-al staS who were present, Mr Bloomneld: Who were tfeey? ILr Bagn-all: Doctors Scott. Parkes. Craig, King, and others wham I do not now remember.

Continuing, Mr Bagnall said the Board under the?e circumstances dl : -what they believed vrrss in the best interests of the hospital, asked Dr. SeV to resign. Dr. Neil did not resign. b\V sent in what he must say be con-siderp< ! a rather insolent letter to the Boarri and it was then moved that Dr. Nci' be dismissed. That was the point upon which he voted. To reinstate Dr. Net would be a slap in the face for the hon. medical staff, and he would no' lie surprised if they resigned if it were done.

Mr Bloomfield: We would not miss them.

Mr A. Bruce held that the Commission had exonerated Dr. Neil, and that it was his duty to report if he found anything -wrong in the institution. That being the decision of the Commission, Dr. Neil should bp reinstated. If they had made a mistake they should now rectify it-

Mr S. C. Brown supported the reinstatement as a simple act of justice, in the face of the finding of the Commission.

Mr John Bollard, M.H.E.., said he TTOTild vote against the resolution, as he considered Dr. Neil's conduct unprofessional and undignified. Mr Garland said he did not want to put any heat into this matter, and Mr Bagmll and Mr Bollard had pretty well expressed his own feelings on this matter. He was sorry he could not support the resolution to reinstate Br. Neil. He did not think any injustice had been done. If the motion was carried he could tell them there would be lots of trouble with the medical starT. The chairman: They are welcome. Mr Garland said this question had been most injudiciously brought forward by Mr Bloomfield.

Mr Bloomfield: Mr chairman, I Mr Garland, pushing back his tiair "«d raising his voice: I am about sick Of these interruptions, and I wo-n't stand it any longer. I say it was most indiscreet, and had Mr Bloomfield used discretion there is no doubt things would tove turned out very much as he wished--1 only -wish to say I have no personal teehng against. Dr. Neil in this matter. Mr Bagnall: Neither have I. Mr Garland: But I feel I would not M justified in the face of the facts Mr Bloomfield: The stuffing was mocked out of those faefi. Mr Garland: It's no use. I cannot \r a u earias ' so I will sit down - Mr Harris said he would vote against we resolution, and must congratulate IT upon the way he had put toe matter.

Tne chairman said he unfortunately w »s not at the meeting when Dr. Neil «as dismissed, but he moved to rescind We motion.

Tae motion to reinstate Dr. Neil was ™"i put and carried on the casting vote of the chairman.