Palmerston North' Hospital Management.

Manawatu Herald, 16 February 1905, Page 2

Palmerston North' Hospital Management.

The Town Clerk read a letter from the Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on Monday evening, which caused Councillors to speak very plainly as to the methods adopted by that Board when receiving patients. The trouble came by the agency of a man named Armstrong, who was refused admittance, even though he was recommended by our Town Clerk, Alf. Fraser, Esq., who also is a J.P. The Town Clerk read the letter received, also his reply, as follows : “ Palmerston North, Feb. 7th. A. Fraser, Esq., Town Clerk, Foxton. Dear Sir, A man of the name of Alfred Armstrong came up from Foxton last Saturday and saw Dr Martin who refused him admittance to the Hospital. He then appears to have returned to Foxton, and obtained an order for admittance from you, and went straight up to the hospital, and was admitted on the strength of it, the Matron being in ignorance of the fact that Dr Martin did not think him a fit patient. Kindly forward for my Board’s and Medical Officers perusal the Doctor’s certificate upon which you gave Armstrong his admittance order.

Yours faithfully, F. W. Connell, Acting-Secretary.” “ Foxton, 10th February, 1905. The Secretary, P. N. Hospital Board, Palmerston N. Sir, I have been absent from the office for a couple of days or I would have answered yours of the 7th sooner, with regard to the man Armstrong. I was not aware that he had been refused admission ; on the contrary I was informed that he had been an inmate of the Hospital and that he was suffering from a rather severe relapse, and in consequence of that statement I did not ask for a doctor’s certificate. The person applying for the order was Mr A. King, his employer, a man who bears an excellent character for straightforwardness. Yours faithfully, Alf. Fraser, Town Clerk.”

The Council approved of Mr Fraser’s letter in reply, and were generally of opinion that the Borough Clerk’s recommendation for admittance should be considered sufficient.

The following motion was eventually passed, proposed by the Mayor, and seconded by Cr Gower, . “ That the Foxton Borough Council express their disapproval at the action of the Hospital Board, in requiring a medical certificate from the man Armstrong, although recommended by the Borough Clerk, J.P,