Napier to Protest to Minister

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 33, 23 February 1937, Page 4

Napier to Protest to Minister

MEMBERS "IGNORED" "Mussolini Has Nothing On Mr Lassen" COUNCIL'S INDIGNATI0N Charges of unfair treatment of the Napier members of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board, Dr. J. Allan Berry and Messrs. C. O. Morse and A. E. Bedford, were made against the chairman, Mr C. Lassen, and other board members, by Napier borough councillors last evening. Following the expression of opinions that the Napier members were being "let down," the council decided to lodge a protest with the Minister of Health regarding the manner

in which the Napier members were being treated, and to ask for a public or dejiartmental inquiry to be instituted to acquaint Hospital Board ratepayers with the true position of affairs at the Napier Hospital. "I don't know whether I am in order in bringiing up this matter here, but everybody knows the attitude being adopted by the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board in connection with Dr. Berry, and not only him," said Mr Hercock. "In the reports of the Hospital Board meetings I've noted particularly that you, Mr Morse, and Mr Bedford haven't been treated a3 you should have been. "Town Versus Town" "For one thing. it was stated at one meeting that 'the way things were being uone is disgracefuJ.' And that.'s oniy one illustration of how the Napier members of the board are being . spoken of. "As a, ratepayer I consider I have a perfect right to see that the administration of the Hospital Board is carried out in the correct manner, ' Mr Hercock eontiuued. "I want you to ui.dersLmjl that 1 am not a particu lar friend of Dr. Berry's when I speak like this, but I strongiy object to the

manner in which he and the other Napier members of the board are being treated at present, "At the last meeting of the board, Mr Morse, I noticed that you made a suggjestion and the chairman immediately said 'it was a question of town versus town.' Well, I don't think such a statement was right. I think that the thing has come to this pass : that it" is up to us as ratepayers to lodge a complaint. "I say that Dr. Berry as a doctor, knows his job, and as far as I can see it appears that he knows too much for a person who, others think, wants keeping in his place. "I'm told that this matter of Dr. Berry's resignation has been discussed by the chairman in public. Well, Dr. Berry has asked for an explanati'on of why the board is asking for his resignation, and the chairman has refused to give him one. I think that the Minister of Health should be asked to conduct an inquiry_either in publio or in private — to clear up the whole matter. "• Mr Hercock added that he believed a sister at the Napier Public Hospital .hau also been asked to tender hei 'resignation, and he understood that ehe had always been a very efficient member of the nursing staff. "A Crying shame." "There is un undercurrent up there," he declared, "and I think the ratepayers ar© entitled to know what it's all about. It's a crying shame that things are allowed to reach such a state. "You, Mr. Morse, and Mr. Bedford are being let down, and I don t tnink it's righc. You are members of the board and are entitled to be heard and treated as men. I don't think Mussolini has got anything on Mr. Lassen. We've got members on tbe Hospital Board in this, town who know as much, if not more, than some of those up there who have been trying to discipline them. I'm just a little surprised that none of the medical fraternity in Napier have acted In the matter. ' '

Borough . Council lodge a protest with the Minister of Health regarding the attitude adopted by certain members of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board. and that a public or departmental inquiry be instituted to acquaint the ratepayers oi; Hawke's Bay with the position." Mr M. 8. Spenc© seeonded this inotion pro forma. Mr Morse : Then tha matter is -open for discussion. Does any councillor desire to speak? "Well, Mr Mayor, I must say 1 am very worried abqut the whole matter," said Mr Bedford. "We three members of the board elected by the Napier ratepayers are as a voic© crying in the wilderness. I'd like to put the soft pedal on in what I say, but I'd like th© various local bodies to discuss the matter more fully. "The hospital on the hiU is the birthright of the people of Napier," Mr. Bedford added, "and it is being controlled by people outside of Napier. I've been a member of the board for nine years and have never known before such an amount of troubie, strife and squabble. The nuxses at the hospital are leaving in twos, three, fours and fives as a result of the troubie made by the people outeide. Tbat's very serious indeed, The whole hospital staff is on edge and Is resigning. "People in Hastings and tfl the country have told me themselves that they ara not in agreement with the action of the board as constituted at the moment. We are doing our best to keep our end of the stick up, but at the moment w© rise to Say anything we are told to sit down. It is obvious that all these resolutions made by the board ar© cut and dried .beforehand.'' "Opinions Completely Ignored." "In view of the unsatisfactory stat© of affairs on the board, and in view o£ the fact that the council is the second large&t. contributor to the board's revenue, I think we are justified in being very gravely concerned," said Mr A. H. D. Mayne. "I've been concerned also with the way in which Dr. Berry, Mr Morse and Mr Bedford have been treated by the board. Courtesy has been lacking, and their opinions have been completely ignored."Mr Mors© said that he very much appreciated the eentiments of the speakers, and commented upon the tact that so far as he was aware it was the first occasion on ■ which the Napier members of the board had received the backing of anyone with authority-— particularly with the authority of such a body as the Napier Borough Council, .

"I regret very much that you feel it necessary to press such a matter, because of my own personal "side," Mr Morse said. "As a matter of fact, I feel that I am now taking medicine which is going to do m© good. If we go back, a few years we find. that those who ar© now admini&tering the dose of medicine once had to take it from thos© now getting it. "But I do feel that Mr Bedford has been discourteously treated in hiB chairmanship of the Park Island Joint Committee. I don't think any other chairman in New Zealand has ever been treated so discourteously. "As councillors must be well aware, Mr Bedford's and the speaker's hands were well tied," Mr Morse continued. "The board's inquiry has been conducted in committee, and the chairman was not inclined to give reasons for the resignations being requested oi Dr. Berry and a 6ister. "My hands are tied too, but I do hope that the public will be acquainted with the. true facts. I appreciate the backing you have given us. The whole district is concerned, and ratepayers all over the countryside are wanting tq know if the troubie can be put right. "We all have our troubles and problems," Mr Morse said in conclusion, "but I think we should be able to have them — well, without everybody being given their running shoes. As for me I'm not puiling down my flag yet. I'v© got plenty of kickfi left, and I'm glad to know I have the backing of my council and the people of Napier."