THE HOSPITAL BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 129, 13 March 1931, Page 4

THE HOSPITAL BOARD.

Sir, —'“Observer,” writing in your issue of March 12 on the subject of the Hospital Board, seems obsessed with the idea that “ the honour and efficiency” of the Institution is in jeopardy. The majority of the residents of this County, and certainly all those who have been patients in pur Hospital, have so far little fear on these points; as to the honour of the Institution in the future —well if the two discordant members of the Board are not put in their places soon there may be some reason to be concerned. As to the efficiency of the Hospital thei’e can be but little argument—the monthly reports to the Board show that the Hospital is used to its fullest capacity, and it is a matter of common knowledge that people well able to pay for treatment in private hospitals are well satisfied to use' our own- Hospital. The tcjit of efficient service is the patronage afforded any institution, and the public are good judges of such things. It is a joke to suggest that it Hospital with a staff the calibre of ours, administered by a Medical Superintendent with qualifications equal to the best in New Zealand, lacks efficiency; Of course, constant “nagging” of the kind recently seen at Board meetings may ultimately engender inefficiency by driving from the Hospital its most valuable servants.

It is interesting also to contemplate that the “deadlock,” which “Observer” suggests as having arisen within the Board, has evidently arrived shortly before an election for one of the seats. Perhaps it has a “political” significance and if so “Observer” is perhaps the chief “whip.” “Observer” alleges a state of “chaos” in the Board: actually what is happening is that two members may ultimately cause such a state. Well, the public of Ashburton can remove one of those causes at the election shortly and so save the situation. The suggestion that a commission is wanted is absurd. All that is required is that the two discordant members of the* Board make up their minds to work in harmony with other members instead of endeavouring to serve personal ends. UNBIASED OBSERVED,