SERVICES IN HOSPITAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1079, 17 September 1930, Page 7

SERVICES IN HOSPITAL

OUTSIDE RELIGIOUS BODIES MUST GET PERMISSION DISTRIBUTION OF TRACTS Persons other than accredited agents of denominational churches wishing to conduct services in the Auckland hospital wards must first apply to the house committee, which will sympathetically consider the requests and grant permission if thought advisable. This course was adopted by the Auckland Hospital Board j'esterday, following upon the complaint of the patient concerning a religious service held in one ward on a recent Saturday afternoon. The board also decided that persons distributing tracts, pamphlets, and other literature must confine their activities to those belonging to their own particular sect. The director of the Saturday afternoon services, which formed the subject of the patient’s complaint, attended the house committee’s meeting in support of his party’s activities. He claimed that his organisation was nonsectarian, and did not proselytize. This was the first complaint he could recall in 17 years’ visits to the hospital. The director admitted that he had handed round tracts, and made explanations, without expounding the Scriptures. The resignation of Dr. Bevan Brown, assistant pathologist at the hospital, who has been on leave on account of ill-health, was accepted with regret. The request of the Defence Depart ment for a reduction to £1 Is for simple X-ray services was granted.