MORE ABOUT THE NAPIER HOSPITAL.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 161, 26 July 1937, Page 6

MORE ABOUT THE NAPIER HOSPITAL.

The extracts published to-day and in our last previous isstie from variotlsi editorial domments oii the report of the Napier Hospital Commission elearly indicate the widespread interest which the findings have elicited. Naturally these deal mainly with the brOader aspects of the report and their bearing upon hospital control and management throtighout the Dominion, though, at the same txme, they do not altogether overlook the very serious character of the censure passed npon individuals concerned in the specific charges the Commission was called upon to investigate. As to these we still feel that, as was said in our first comment on the report — on the sasumption that the very grave instances of misconduct revealed will result in their causes being removed — they may now very well be left for the Hawkes' Bay public to judge for themselves. Even in the interests of those directly affected this would certainly be the most charitable eourse to pursne, leaving what cannot but be regarded as unsavoury and disturbing impressions to die a natural death under the kindly hand of time. There wonld, however, seem to be a disposition in certain quarters to attempt to smother the serious aspect of these individnal cases beneath vaguely wordy discussions as to the general management and conduct of hospital affairs. A striking instance of this is to be found in the statement that was seemingly volunteered by the Member for Napier and was reprinted in our last Saturday's issue. In it Mr. Barnard would appear to be chiefly desirous to make as little as possible of tbese charges, from which in reality the institntion of the Commission arose, and to throw discredit oh the present Board. Indeed, when Mr. Barnard says: "That Dr. J. Allan Berry" — the introduction of the name is Mr. Barnard 's — "ought to have submitted to dismissal from the honorary staff and that he should be severely rated for not aoing so will not appeal to many as a cairn and sound judgment," he would seem to be going a very long way towards condoning that gentleman's conduct, an impression that is confirmed by his speaking later on of the Commission "finding a scapegoat.'' Whether we are to read into this a personal approval of the eourse, as disclosed in the published evidence, that gentleman pursued both before and during the investigation, it must be left for Mr. Barnard himself to say, but, on tlie face of his statement, it seems a good deal like it. So far as Mr. Barnard himself is concerned it may occur to some to question the propriety of the Hon. the Speaker of the House of Representatives committing himself to publicly expressed opinions on a subject which he himself suggests will have to he dealt with by that body. We can scarcely conceive, for instance, of say, Sir Charles Statham allowing himself such licence, which most follc will regard as scarcely in consonance with the dignity and impartiality that should mark the holdqr of that responsible office. As has been said, there is a very definitl intent, not only on the part of the Member for Napier but, whether in concert or not, in other quarters also to discredit the Board which has the present duty of conducting hospital affairs in this district.Those of the unhiassed view will, however, see things in quitea different light. The present Board found a condition of affairs-1 — subsequently fully established by the sworn evidence — that called for purging and, with a courage wliich its predecessors appaar to have lacked, undertook the altogether distasteful task. That task, too, would have been carried out in the-ordinary eourse of the Board 's proceedings liad it not been for the actions of a factional minority, which, by a teehnical invocation of a peculiar by-law, was able to burke the decisions of a substantial majprity. It was that same minority which moved for the setting up of the Royal Commission, which, after long and patient diagnosis, has now administered to it a corrective dose of what has proved entirely unpalatbale physic. It may not he out of place to note here that the Commission spoke of the Soldiers' Memorial Hospital at Hastings as being "a model hospital" and there, as Hastings people will testify, all runs smoothly and well to the complete satisfaction of both patients/and public, and that, too, under the control of the same Board whose administration of the Napier Hospital is being criticsied. Mr. Barnard says: "What is wanted is a representative and harmonious Bord. " The Board is already thoroughly representative so far sa concerns the people of the big area served, Can it be said he has doue anything to promote its harmony?