TELEPHONE AT HOSPITAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1922, Page 4

TELEPHONE AT HOSPITAL.

CRITICISM NOT JUSTIFIED. THE POSITION EXPLAINED. The criticisms regarding the telephone service at the New Plymouth Hospital, made at an inquest on Wednesday night, are referred to by the chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr. M. Fraser), who writes: “Noticing the reflections of the Coroner on the management of the hospital, we rang up the telephone authorities and learned that no call had been received from Rahotu on the night in question, owing to a fault in the line down the eoast. If you have reported the Coroner’s remark correctly, on ‘the so-called up-to-date hospital,’ I can only express my surprise that he did not wait to hear evidence before passing judgment. The statement made by the sergeant was as incorrect as the conclusions drawn by the Coroner.” The complaints were referred to Dr. Walker, medical superintendent. Dr. Walker states the trouble was due to a fault in the Cape Egmont line to Pungarehu, which was plugged on to the New Plymouth line, hence Rahotu could not get through to the New Plymouth bureau. The fault was repaired the following morning and things made all right. It would be seen, therefore, that the hospital was not to blame in any way. In regard to Senior-Sergeant M‘Crorie’s statement, to the effect that only two nurses were on night duty at the hospital, this was quite wrong. There are six—one nurse in each, ward in the main building, one in the isolation, and a night sister who has a roving commission. So far as the telephone at the hospital is concerned, the bells are particularly clear and there is absolutely no doubt about any call being answered st night.