THE HOSPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1962, 22 December 1906, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL.

ENQUIRY TO TAKE PLACE NEXT MONTH. A* tho ordinary meeting of tho Hospital Tcustoes yesterday afternoon, matters in oonco'"icn with the management of tbe Hospital and complaints made woro left to bo dealt with togothor, tho Chairman irtlmating that his viow was to have a spooial meeting ; but bolding that they should dispose of a letter from Dr. Collins, whioh bo wished to see. D\ Collins wrote that in regard to his

first letter to the Board requesting that tho enquiry re Miss Olson’s death bo reopened, be bad, sinoo writing his first Jotter, had an opportunity of seeing Dr. Morrison, who had satisfied him that ho did not intentionally make any reflection upon him (Dr. Collin?) in regard to the Oise. As this wn9 tho prinoipal reason of his making tho request to tho Board ho now wished to withdraw tho request thattho enquiry bo re-oponad, and with this objeot in view, he asked that tho Board rclnrn him his letter.

Tho Chairman said iho request should bn granted, Dr. Collins praotioally saying ha hsd wrlien tho first letter under a misapprehension, and had the right to withdraw. Ho proposed that tho request be granted. HrHirding: I second that, ond that tbe letter be handed back to him. The Chairman : I don’t go so far as that ; 1 don’t think we should do that. Mr Matthews: It is his letter, and he is entitled to i). Wo have no right to keep it, Mr Bright: I think so, too. He says praotioally be wrote it under a misapprohension and it should not bo kept as a reoord.

Tbe Chairman agreed to alter his motion as suggested, and it was resolved to comply with tbe requestLater on the Chairman said, "Now, I

think we know there are various letters of oomplaint and so on oomiog before us.” He wont on to suggest tbat they should fix a speoial meeting, whioh he was afraid would have to be left until after tbe holidays. There did not seem to be any immediate urgenoy. Tbe question then arose as to what matters should be considered first.

Mr Bright thought the proper business would be to oonsider Dr Morrison’s letter, and then they oould take Mr East’s report and decide how they proposed to deal with it. He would have a suggestion that might be acceptable to the Trustees, The letters should be gone through. The publio were looking for these matters to be dealt with. The Chairman: No doubt.

Mr Bright said they should have matters plaoed in some shape for dealing with. They conld take Dr Morrison’s letters, and any remarks he liked io make and deal with that.

The Chairman : There is only tbe one letter.

Mr Bright: I thought you said letters. The Chairman: There are other letters with whioh I say you oould not now BEtisfaotorily deal. Mr Bright: I thick they ought to be mentioned and put in shape. Tbe Chairman (to Secretary): Let me see what they arr. Mr Bright: Take Dr Morrison’s first, Mr Hard ng: I think if we deoidß to go on we should go into ocmmiitse. We would first have to dispose of Mr East

before considering Dr Morrison’s letter. For this reesm we can hardly go into the

resignation and then go into other thiDg-.

The one hinges on tbe other.

Dr Morrison : I would sooner that Mr East’s letter has been dealt with before

dealing with the resignation. Mr Bright: I bayc no objection to

Mr Harding: I think that the best way. Mr Bright sa’d be thought that they might take advantage of Dr Mason’s visit In holding the enquiry. Mr Tuoby : I am of a different opinion to the Chairman. I think we shoald sit

until we get rid of the business—sit ten night if necessary. Mr Bright: But we have mateiial fo

get. Mt Tuohy; Lei as get that, or we will

just get blocked in the same way. Mr HardiDg : Too first thing to oonsider is Mr East’s letter. , The Chairman: You would not take that on an ordinary business day. You would fix a sptoial day for it. Mr Bright: Op to the present time we do not know what it is. The Chairman : You have seen it in Ihe paper.

The Secretary said it was in substance ihe same as had appeared (in the Times).

The Chairman then read the letter, which detailed ibe oiroumstauoes as ap-

pearing in the Times, though in some

points more foroib.'e expressions were used.

The letter from the Foresters (as appearing in the Times) was taken as read. Mr Bright: That is not the same matter; we should deal with that.

The Chairman ; I suggest we fix a time to go into the whole thing. Mr Bright thought it would be more satisfactory to eyeryone, including the Djoior and general public to hold an enquiry.

The Chairman said if they accepted the resignation first there wonld hardly be any necessity for holding an enquiry. Mr Harding thoughi they should go on with it. If they decided that, they eould not in the meantime accept ihe resignation or let it stand in abeyance, Mr Bright: We should consider it now. The Chairman said he took it that the position was Dr Morrison had given them three months’ notice.

Mr Harding: My opinion is that we should not go into Dr. Morrison’s resignation until the other letter is disposed

The Chairman: I was looking at it that if we accepted the resignation there is nothing further to bother us in these matters,

Mr Harding: I think with Mx Bright that it (Mr East’s letter) ought to be gone on with. The Chairman: In any case ? Mr Harding: Yes, The Chairman : Very well. Mr Bright: Go on with the enquiry and deal with Dr. Morrison’s resignation after. Mr Tuohy: lam of opinion this (Mr East’s letter) should not be set aside. It should bo enquired into. We are a public body supported by the public. If we set that enquiry aside it will not satisfy the public them in any case, but we should go into that.

The Chairman: That is what I suggest—fix a day. We are among the holidays, Thcro is no emergency; it is not as if tho patient was there and we had to go into it at onco. Mr Harding : I should be sorry to see the letter lie bn tho tablo and not dealt with.

Dr. Morrison: I would bo glad if an enquiry were held. Ido not care whether tho enquiry should bo hold before or after. It is immaterial to me. Whatever is most convenient for tho Board will suit me.

Mr Tuohy said Dr, Morrison’s statement to this effect was very satisfactory. “ You are open to give us any information before or after ? ” asked Mr Tuohy, Dr Morrison : Yes ; you can consider my resignation now or leave it until after tho enquiry.

Mr Tuohy: That is very good. Mr Matthews said there was a great d:

fiuulty about accepting the dootor’s resignation before dealing with that. The dootor was there for tbree months, and after that would be absolutely clear. Mr Bright ; That ia so. Mr Matthews : You have absolutely no control after that. Mr Harding : That is why we should have the enquiry first. Mr Matthews Baid he was prepared to sit during the holidays, but it would be neoeaaaty to give a wetk’s notice to those oocoerned to prepare their osses. A line of proo'sdure must be laid dowD. It they could have had Dr. Masoo’e presence it would have bren satisfactory to have had a disinterested parly to watch the medical side, but not to nsurp their position as adjudicators. It.was not nioe to have these matters hanging over their heads, but there must be time given to both sides to prepare. Mr Harding said if tho majority wanted to deal with the resignation first ho would join with them, though he thought the other raster should be first dealt with.

Mr Matthows said ho was strongly of opinion they should deal with Mr East s letter first, Tho Chairman said ho waß not against that, but on tho othor hand porooivod that if the resignation was aocoptod tho need for the onqniry was gone. Mr Matthews: Absolutely out from under your feet. . All being agreed ae to dealing with tho lottor first, tho question was as to a suitable date, and eventually tbo 10th January was oboaon ae tho most euitable. Dr. Morrison asked if Mr East was to bo represented by oounsel. Tho Chairman : I think so. It iB hotter for us to allow that than to bavo pooplo who do not understand the methods of procedure. Mr Harding thought they would bo hotter left to themselves —they wore then more likely to got tho truth than forcing stotemonts out of thorn. Dr. Morrison said ho would like to know.

Mr Bright said it was wroDg not to have informed Dr. Morrison in Miss Olson’rf case thal thoro would bo oounaol. Dr. Morrison said he had walked into tho room quite unsuspectingly to find Mias Olson represented by oounaol, oroas< examining, Mr Bright said tboro should have boon an adjournment to allow tho dootor lo bo

likowiso represented. i Tho Chairman :No doubt he would have got it if he asked. He went on to ahow lhat they oould not oxpsot Mias Olson io oomo there and properly represent her side of the case, when having no knowledge of tbe usage in suoh oiroumstauoos. Mr Bright thought both sides should have a similar opportunity, Tho Chairman : Nobody will prevent that. After further disoussion it was agreed to leave tbo matter open, Mr East to inform tho Secretary whether ho intends to be represented by oouoso), so that eaob oould have tbe same opportunity. Mr Matthews said Mr S ock had oonduoted his side of the last enquiry very fairly. Tbe Chairman said that nobody oould havo done it more mildly, and it enabled them to get tho oase put as they oonld not have oxpeoted from Mies Olson. Tho Chairman said he had a letter of a I pleasing nature, and it was quite refreshing to find someone on tbe other side. Ho read the following from Mr Geo. E. Darton, Seoretary of the Ancient Order of D jlds" Dear Sir,—Re conduct of Gis. j jrno Hospital and resolution of Foresters’ Lodge forwarded to us for adoption, at a meeting of Lodge Turanganui, No. 7, U.A.0.D., held last evening, tho following resolulion was passed : ‘ Tbo members of Lodge TuraDganui, No. 7, U.A.0.D., wish to express tbeir gratitude at the skill and attention bestowed on the members of our Lodge while inmates of tbe Gisborne Hospital.’ You will no donbl be pleased to hear that our Bards, who visit the Hospital every week, spoke in the highest praise of the oonduot of tbe, Hospital and the treatment received by cur members," ;