REPLY TO CRITICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 264, 20 August 1936, Page 5

REPLY TO CRITICS.

SALE OF WEDDING RINGS.

“THE TRUTH UNPALATABLE.”

(Special to the “Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON!! August 19.

Criticism by members of hospital boards of his recent question in the House of Representatives about the’ disposal of wedding rings of certain married women dying in hospital w r as answered by Dr. D. G. McMillan (Govt., Dunedin West) to-day. “It appears from the ire that has been raise'd by my question that the truth is very unpalatable to some people,” Dr. McMillan said. “If some of those who have been most ready with their invective had stopped to make a few inquiries they would have realised the wisdom of avoiding those places where angels fear to treatd. Anyone who knows anything about hospital administration knows that the wedding rings of those women who ai’e unfortunate enough to die alone in hospital are usually sold by the boards in question.” Dr. McMillan quoted an extract from a daily newspaper which showed that an item on the age'nda paper at a recent meeting of a certain hospital board was an assortment of jewellery and sundries sold for £93. The secretary of the board had stated that the bulk of the je'wellery consisted of old wedding rings. “I did not name any boards in my question because the practice is fairly general and because the reason for it is thoughtlessness, not greed,” Dr. McMillan added. “Anyway those to whom the question does not apply will realise it. I was not concerned as to how it came about that rings were sold —I knew that—hut as a woman’s wedding ring has such a sentimental attachment for her I did think it was worth an effort to ensure that the ring was buried with her. It is probable that the publicity that has been given to the matter will have the desired effect.”