PEACE RESTORED.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1916, Page 3

PEACE RESTORED.

THE HOSPITAL TROUBLE. THE MATRON PUT EIGHT. At'yestcrday's meeting of the Hospital ami Charitable Aid Board the chairman (-Mr. R C. J. Bcllrhifeoi) made lengthy reference to the questions of complaints at the hospital and to the unfortunate friction that had apparently arisen between the Board and the stall of the institution. He said that he thought when the matter had been previously diseused (at the July meeting) that he had made the position perfectly clear that he favored but apparently'he had not done so. Mr. Bellringcr then quoted from the last annual report, which, he said, had been widely circulated, and by the quotation the Board and the public could see that he had perfectly understood the necessity for remedying the accommodation. He thought it bad also been made perfectly clear at last meeting that Miss Browne should he referred to the annual report, and he advised that the Board was in possession of all the facts at the meeting when the medical officers were present. There was a further communication from the matron which would be placed before members that morning. He was not going to apologise for anything, for there was nothing he had done to apologise for. lie had always been perfectly frank and had never kept anything back regarding the administration of the Board. Ho reiterated that Mis 3 Brown knew, as he and all the members of the Board know, that the medical officers had urged the necessity for improving the nurses' accommodation. He put it to the members in a nutshell — Did you or did you not know, at the time of Miss Browne's complaint, that the accommodation was satisfactory or unsatisfactory? In 1015 the position had become acute, and a number of probationers had. to he boarded out in Vivian street. But this arrangement was not satisfactory for several of the young ladies when proceeding from the institution to the boarding-house, especially at night time, were subjected to annoyance. The accommodation question was a very vexed one, and the Board was well aware that at the present time the position was abnormal.

Continuing, Mr., Bellringer said that the medical "staff'of the hospital was of the highest efficiency, and the Board and the pu'blic had the highest confidence in them and their skill. He could not understand how on earth those gentlemen managed to give so mncli of their valuable time to the hospital, except that they desired to live wholly up to the highest ideals of their profession, while the staff of the institution also possessed the confidence of all. He regretted more than anyone that the situation had developed as it had done. There was considerable correspondence on the subject to he placed before them. This, he suggested, should be read, and then consideration of it deferred until the Inspector-General (Dr. Valentine), who, he thought, would he .vith them that day, can confer with the Board. Mr. E. Maxwell was opposed to the suggestion; the matter should be dealt with by the Board that day. He did not think it was a question for the Inspec-tor-General. He reminded members that at last meeting he had objected to the wording of the resolution that was finaly carried, and he had moved an amendment that Miss Browne be informed that the Board had always been in possession ot all the facts. The matron and staff and the medical officers had done magnificent work, and the chairman had not been at all in fault. The trouble, he considered, had mainly arisen from, "tittle-tattle," and after all it was really a storm in a teacup that should not 'be allowed to deve'lop. The chairman's statement wa3 full and satisfactory, and the 'whole Board had agreed that the chairman had always given members full information. He certainly thought, however, that the answer sent to Miss Browne's letter after last meeting had been couched in unwise terms, and it should have been written more after the manner he had suggested. Mr. J. R. Hill thought that the Board should confer with the doctors and the Matron.

THE MATROX'S LETTER. After further informal discussion, a letter was read from the Matron to the chairman, under date September 19, as follows:—"I have received from the secretary of the Board a letter informing me of the resolution passed at its last meeting to the effect that the Board lias full confidence in your administration of hospital affairs. (I have, of course, no comment to make upon the resolution, relating as it does to a matter entirely outside my province. May I suggest, however, it can scarcely lie considered a reply to my letter to you of August 15. In this letter I directed your attention to a press report wherein you was credited with having said (relative to the nurses' petition) that on his frequent visits to the hospital you had always.asked how things were going, and received the reply that there were no complaints. I also asked you to be so kind as to make it clear to the Board that both Sister Campbell and I have frequently spoken to you about the various matters referred to in the petition. As the House Committee did not visit the institution we regarded communications to you as official, I wish to assure you that my letter was written in no captious or hostile spirit My earnest hope was that you would as early as possible see that the wrong impression created by the report \va°, removed. 1 still venture to hope that you will not allow my request to pass unnoticed, and I shall be deeply grateful to you if at the forthcoming meeting you will take such steps as may be necessary to put the matter right." A lengthy letter from the officers of the medical staff was also read, and taken in committee. Messrs. Mc'Reynolds and McAllum moved that the correspondence be hold over until the arrival of Dr. Valintine. Mr. Halcombe said that by the Board's resolution of the previous meeting the onus of the stigma of the nurses' petition had been east upon Miss Browne, lie thought the Board should pass a motion that the Board intended no reflection to be made. The speaker said lie felt very sore about the trouble thai had arisen, for the Board was in the happy position of having a matron and staff'of nurses and medical officers who were second to none in New Zealand. The chairman, as everyone knew, had done his very best in the interests of the Board and of its officers. He objected to bringing 'Dr. Valentine into the matter, to act practically as a ''go-between" in an- attempt to fix up the question. Mr. Mcßeynolds paid a tribute to the splendid work done by Miss Browne. The whole trouble arose with the wording of the resolution. Evidently Dr. Valentine thought that there was something wrong, and therefore he thought it better to hold the letters over until the InspectorGeneral y/M ja New -Plymouth,

After some further discussion, Mr. Halcombe moved an amendment: "That Miss Browne's letter of September II) ho replied to as folows: "That the Board had no intention whatever of casting any reflection on her or her services, but merely to convey that the chairman had made the Board fully aware of all requirements; and that the Board is doing its utmost to remedy the need as to nurses' accommodation, which need the Board recognises is very great." This was seconded by Mr. Maxwell, and carried with one dissentient.