MILK AND PUBLICITY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2443, 23 April 1915, Page 6

MILK AND PUBLICITY

SUPPRESSION OF FACTS

A FEW WORDS AT HOSPITAL BOARD A question of the wisdom of giving publicity to certain matters was raised at tho Wellington Hospital iioard meeting yesterday. The Rev. Dr. Kennedy Elliott oponed tho subject by saying ho understood that. one of the Hospital doctors had in ado a report in writing to the Hospital Committeo .stating that the (present way of gottiug the milk had been most unsatisfactory and insanitary. Mombers. of tho bi-ard and tho public should know if jj'ucli a statement had been made "1, therefore, ask for the information," added. l)r. Elliott. "If ho made such a. statement, why has it beon suppressed."

Mr. J. Smith, tho chairman of tho Hospital Committee, said that the fact was that a report had been made by Dr. Barclay, and tho committee iiad taken such action as iiad been nccessary. The matter was one which there was.no need to publish, and surely in some instances tiie committee was entitled to suppress information in order not to prevent people from using the hospital. llev. Dr. Elliott: I think that might have been made known to the board.

.Mr. Smith replied that the committee had taken remedial steps as soon as the matter had come to their notice.

Dr. F. W. MacKenzie said it seomed that the board had been in fault, and the matter should -not rest where it was; thai, an investigation should be held as to why this discovery had not been made rooner.

. Mr. H. Baldwin: Someon© is trying to make something out of nothing. Mr. Baldwin added that the case merely was that some employee of the board had neglected his duty, and the doctor iu the course of his rounds had seen milk lying where it ought not to have been .left, and he reported the' matter. That trouble had been rectified. If all these matters were reported by the committees to the board there would be scores of reports.

One of the other members observed that he saw no reason why the question should have been raised.

The Rev. H. Van Staveren: Tho only reason I can see is that in election is jmnding. The R-ev. Dr. Elliott: I call upon the Rev. Mr. Van Staveron to withdraw that remark.'

The chairman (Rev. W. A. Evans): I don't know that there is any need for a withdrawal.

Rev. Dr. Elliott: I insist, Mr. Chairman, on your requiring the Rev. Sir. Van Staveren to withdraw it.

Rev. Mr. Van Staveren: I have no hesitation in stating that I had not the slightest intention of referring in any way to the reverend doctor.

Members: Hear, hear. The chairman: The question is— Let us put oil a little' bit of dig-

nifcy. The matter was not referred to again