THE BASE HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2364, 21 January 1915, Page 6

THE BASE HOSPITAL

B.M.A. CHAIRMAN'S REPLY TO DUNEDIN. The attitude which Dunedin dootors adopted towards the scheme for the equipping of - a military base hospital at Trentham camp' has been very adversely criticised in Wellington. The chairman of the Central Council of the New Zealand Branch ■of the British Medical Association (Dr. J. S.Elliott,, of Wellington) has sent the following letter to Dunedin, in the hope that it will be published in the Dunedin Press:— "The Dunedin division of the British Medical Association was directed by the council of the association to urge upon the publio the need of voluntary help to supplement what the Government is doing to establish, proper hospital accommodation at Trentham for the troops from the whole of New Zealand. The council, which is the governing body of the Medical Association in New Zealand, after full investigation, and with, the -approval of the Minister of Defence and the military authorities, came to the conclusion that the Trentham hospital -scheme is the most worthy that can engage the support and the attention of the Medical Association. ' • I "The Hon. Mr. Allen states: 'Any voluntary financial assistance to _the Trentham hospital soheme' will be very welcome, and I shall be pleased to hear' that . your efforts are successful.' "The Dunedin section of the medical profession has opposed the wishes of the central body of the association, and is anxious to help the Belgian doctors and chemists. No one can condemn their desire to embark upon any form of private philanthrophy, and I wish it all success: but the Dunedin section of the association thought fit to telegraph all over the country matter likely to damage the Trentham Hospital Fund, which was, and is, the approved and official fund of the Medical Association. Your readers will arrive at their own conclusion upon conduct of this kind." Dr. Elliott forwarded to Dunedin a cutting from The Dominion giving a statement of. the position from the Director of Medical Services in New Zealonel (Colonel J. S. Pnrdy), and he requested that this should bo published in the public interest. "Surely," he. added, "there are many ' people in Dunedin able and willing to provide financial help for the comfortable treatment of sick soldiers at Trenthem, their own kith and kin from Otago and elsewhere in New Zealand." He trusted that donations would be received in Dunedin for transmission to the general treasurer of tho fund, Mr. Gore, of Wellington. AUCKLAND'S HANDSOME SUPPORT. (By TeleKittoli.-Presfl Association.* Auckland, January 20. The Auckland division of the British Medical Association, at a meeting hold to-night, carried a motion approving of a 6cheme for the formaton of a military base hospital at Trentham, and pledging the cordial support of members. A collection was taken up in tho room, and about £61)0 was subscribed, including one donation of £500'. ' Tho well-known Polish writer. M. fivetlinsky relates, as an eye-witness, hew a friend of his, a Polish landowner named Rokns. miraculously escaped death. M. R. Rokas, whose house near Warsaw was selected as headquarters by the Germans, was accused by his guests of espionage and ordered to be shot. A squad of German soldiers took him into a garden, and were waiting their officer's command to shoot, when a sotnia of Cossacks descended like a hurricane on the squad, and made them prisoners.