IN CHAOTIC CONDITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 April 1938, Page 2

IN CHAOTIC CONDITION

LAUNDERING AT HOSPITAL. “POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.” (By ■ Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 26. “Because the laundering at Auckland hospital is in a chaotic condition it has been found necessary to clothe a number of men patients in women’s nightdresses.” This statement ’ was made at a meeting of the hospital board by the chairman, the Rev. W. C. Wood, who deplored what he termed “political interference.” in the proposal to send the laundry work of the institution to a private company. He said it had been impossible to have the required quantity of pyjamas washed and ironed under the existing system. At a meeting of the board last month it was decided to accept the offer of a commercial firm to undertake the whole of the washing for Auckland hospital as the board’s own laundry was obsolete and inadequate. Today, however, a motion was introduced by Mrs Dreaver to rescind the earlier decision, which was intended to apply until a new laundry was erected at the hospital. Mrs Dreaver said she considered the board had acted somewhat hastily in deciding to let out the work to a private firm, and she suggested the possibility of renting premises in which the work could be undertaken by the present hospital staff with a much greater degree of efficiency than at present. “In this matter I think the Department of Health has acted most discourteously,” stated Mr Wood. “It’s representative was in Auckland for five days, and an immediate report was promised. I have been told by the lady superintendent that men have had to be put into women’s nightdresses because it is not possible to get pyjamas laundered, and she says conditions are chaotic.” Mr Wood declared that those who were holding up the sane and economic proposal to send out the washing to a commercial concern had taken upon themselves a grave responsibility. It was entirely a domestic matter, and the present position represented one of the worst examples of political interference he knew. He was filled with indignation at the appalling situation which existed today. To hand over the laundry to a private firm for 18 months or two years was giving the board breathing space. It was asked whether the board's employees were willing to work for a commercial concern, but they did not own the hospital. It was the board’s duty to conduct it with economy and efficiency. Replying, Mrs Dreaver said she denied emphatically that it was a political matter; it was a domestic question to which the board should have attended two years ago at least. Mrs Dreaver's motion to rescind the previous resolution was lost, the mover and Mr Anderson being its only supporters.