DOCTOR AND BOARD MEMBER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 204, 14 September 1937, Page 10

DOCTOR AND BOARD MEMBER

How Is Dr. Wilson's Position Affected? RULING TO BE AWAITED That liis dual position as an honorary surgeon and a member of the board had caused him anxloua thought in vicw of the report of the Royal Commission was the statement made by Dr. 31. Wilson in a letter to theHawke's Bay Hospital Board yeslerdhy. Dr. Wilson, who was uiiable to altend the meOting, considered that he should not be asked to resign eithcr position uniess a *rulo to tipa effecl whs made applicable to all bOards in the Domiiliou. The board deeided to defer the question tintil the recommendations in regard to the eommission 's report aro dealt with at a special meeting a fortnight hence. ' ' The position • raised by tho "Royal (Jomniission and the Director-General of Health with regard to my dual position as a member of the honorary slaff and a member of the Hospital Board has occasioned me a great deal of anxious thought," Dr. "Wilson wfote. 4 ' Tho matter is essentially a conten* tious one. "In most of the great liospitals of the world some members of the honor* ary. staff are on the governing -body with executive power, aud, generally speaking, they are elected by the medicai staif and not by the ratepayors oi snbscribers. This leads to co-operatjon between the governing body and the medieal staff, a most essential thing in any hospital. "I feel." Dr. Wilson addecf. "that I should not be asked to resign my oo-i-tion on either of these bodies unless the Director-General of Health makes it a general rule thrOughout New Zealand." "I do not think that this board should be sovted out as the oiily boa^d ir. New Zealaud to be affected by this decision," said the chairmau, Mt O. LaSSen. "Any action should be made general throughout New Zealand. nnd we should obtain the decision of the Director-General of Health on the matter when he visits us." In this view Mr Lassen was support cd by Mr C. O. Morse. "We should only be opeulng up the discussion on the eommission 's report by dealing writh that letter now," said Mf Morse. Tho Rev. E. B. Gosnell: We should reserve any comment as we are dealing With the full report later on. It was deeided to defer the matter as suggested.