The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1916. HOSPITAL MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1916. HOSPITAL MATTERS.

A great deal of time, and not a little wild talk, were expended at the recent meeting of the Taranaki Kintal Board over a request that was simple, straightforward, and perfectly justifiable. The matron of the hospital wrote a letter, couched in courteous terms, pointing oUt that «tt the meeting of the Board on .July 20 the chairman was reported as having said that on his frequent visits to the hospital he had always asked

how tilings were going, and received the reply that there were 110 complaints. This the matron took as an inference that she had neglected her duty in not bringing to the chairman's notice the inadequacy of the accommodation provided for the nurses, or other matter; mentioned in the nurses' petition. After reminding the chairman that both Sister Campbell and herself had on many occasions drawn pointed attention to the inadequacy of the nurses' quarters, the matron concluded that s-Qine mistake luid been made, and she stated that she would be greatly obliged if the chairman would mention the matter at the Board's meeting with a view to removing the grave injustice. There is not a single word in the whole of the letter to which exception can be taken. The matron, feeling she had been unjustly blamed, took the only right and proper course to have the injustice rectified. She had a perfect right to know if the report of the chairman's remarks was correct, and, if so, in view of the actual facts, the chairman was courteously asked to put the matter straight. It does not need the return to the age of chivalry to protect a woman's truth and honor,'but it has been left to the ineffibers of the "Tiu'-iiifttil ii«9Bitni Eoavd to lower the

standard of justice between employers and employed. The chairman had an excellent opportunity of clearing up the sorry squabble over move or less imaginary dill'erences that appear as an unhealthy undercurrent in its hospital administration. A diplomat would liave eagerly embraced the occasion as preeminently suitable for clearing up matters conducing to friction and' putting them in trim for smooth running. The chairman certainly started well, for hp admitted the correctness of the matron's statement. Unfortunately, he again made a grievance about the nurses' petition, and then the trouble began. Mr. J. Brown promptly proposed a vote of confidence in the chairman, to which an amendment was put forward. From that point on to the close of the meeting the Board apparently could not, or would not, see anything but the bugbear o£ divided authority, the matter drifting to the acute stage at which the chairman resigned, a course of action that piunged the Board further into chaos. It was very unfortunate that the members of the Board placed the chairman in such a false position. The public ar» thoroughly conscious of the good work which Mr. BellringeT has done while acting aa chairman of the Board, but highly as they appreciate his services they certainly could not accept the suggestion made by Sir. Brown that the matron should resign. As a matter of fact it is the matron, and not the chairman, who has a real grievance, in not having her request for the removal of an injustice complied with. To have rectified the implied blame would have been easy, and the cornet course to take. The public will naturally feel that the matron has not been treated in the maimer that her excellent record of 18 years' service warranted, for during that time she has very materially helped towards the attainment of the good name awl fame that the institution enjoys. It is probable that before this the members have realised that it would have been ■better to have acted differently, but whether that is the case or not, the injustice to the matron should be rectified, and then, but not till then, will the public be satisfied,