PUBLICITY AND THE PRESS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 90, 17 July 1945, Page 5

PUBLICITY AND THE PRESS

HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSIONS

STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN

A number of references received in the local Press by Hospital Affairs generally, caused an interesting interlude at last Thursday's meeting of the Board. Mr McGougan started the ball rolling by referring to the .amount of derogatory material which had appeared from time to time in reports of the deliberations at Board meetings. Everybody in the he said was getting on well and the patients were pleased with the treat[ment. Newspaper reports of the ! meetings however, had caused a lot of trouble amongst members of the staff. He was; sure that all were doing their best to cope with the difficulties at present, pertaining. They were utterly fed up with the endless controversies. The Board should try to back them up instead of appearing to be perpetually finding fault. Later in the meeting the chair- * man also referred to the. position as reflected in the Press. The Press he said } had. the right to publish every word of their deliberations if lie wished. This was impossible and in the condensation of the various subjects handled, it was often, possible to take several meanings from the report. Mr McCready was immediately on his feet ? declaring that the chairman had no right to cast aspersions on the Press. All lie said f had been as fair as it was possible to make them and if they were afraid to have their discussions printthey had no right to be on local bodies'. The chairman said that he did not consider that he had taken the Press to task in any way and enquired of the representative if he had taken the matter up personally. To this the Beacon representative responded in the negative.