THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 91, 21 April 1891, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL INQUIRY.

TESTIMONIAL TO MISS ARNA BOLDI.

A rifßLic meeting was held ab Robson's Rooms lasb evening for bhe purpose of presenting an address to Miss Arnaboldi, late probationary nurseat the Auckland Hospibal. There was a large attendance, including many Ladies. The chair was occupied by Mr Jones, who stated thab bhe object of the gathering was to present an address and a purse of sovereigns to Miss Arnaboldi. Letters of apology were road from Messrs T. Thompson, F. Lawry, and W. I- Roes. Mr Rees stated that ib mighb be of interest to tho mooting to know that the medical profession were at presonb in communication with the Government with a view to obtain an amondment of the Hospital Act. He oxprcssed reeret that urgent businoss prevented him from being presenb, bub asked that his sympathy wibh its objecb should be expressed bo the meeting. The Secretary, Mr R. Duncan, road a statement of receipts and expenditure. The total expenses were £22 7s 7d, against which the income totalled £46 os7d. There was therefore in hand £23 I3s to be handed to Miss. Arnaboldi. Other subscriptions wore still expected. (Applause.) The Chairman said the reason why tho Investigation Committee was calied into existence was because the Hospital Board did not treat Miss Arnaboldi in a fair and impartial manner, by passing a resolution exonerating Dr. Collins and censuring Miss Arnaboldi without hearing the evidence. (Applause.) That resolution would havo 3till been on the books of the Board had ib not been for public pressuro and strong articles in newspapers all over the colony. (Applause.) Had tho Board sifted the charges straightforwardly and above board, there would have been no cause for the appointment of bhe Committee. Tho chief object of tho Commibteo was to elicit the truth, and if Miss Arnaboldi had boon wrong they would not have supported her further than was necessary. ThoCommittee had been accused of personal feeling and of having a political object in view. As a matter of fact none ot the Committee were acquainted with Dr. Collins, and as for Mr Rees's connection with bhe case, the reason why he was engaged was because Mr Roes had bendered his services on Miss Arnaboldi's behalf free of cosb. The Commibteo, however, thoughb it right to tender to Mr Rees the sum of £10 10s in recognition of the largo amount of labour he had done. The evidence produced before the Commission and tho report of the Commissioners showed that Miss Arnaboldi was fully justilied in the course she adopted in pursuance of whab she believed to bo hor duty. The conduce of Miss Arnaboldi, moreover, showed that she possessed a courage and stamina which fow of them could boast of. TheChairmanin conclusion made a severe attack on tho Board, and expressed his opinion thab ibs members owed an apology to Miss Arnaboldi. Ho called upon tho Secretary to read the address, which was handsomely illuminated and framod, the text being as follows : "Auckland Hospital Inquiry. Dear Miss Arnaboldi, — The public not only of Auckland, but of many other parts of the colony, approving of your disinterested and courageous action, have expressed themselves grateful to you. They recognise the value of the services rendered by you in connection wibh the inquiry appointed by bhe Governor to investigate into the truth of the statements you made in reforonco to the lamentable cases at the Auckland Hospital, which resulbed in bhe loss of bwo useful lives. That investigation proved bhe correctness of your alletrabions beyond all dispute, and jusbified'tho necesaiby for your making knov/n the treatment pursued in these two instances. It is to be hoped thab such reprehensible neglect may nob bo allowed in l'ubure bo be practised in this or any other hospital in New Zealand. Wo desire to otter you our hearty thanks for the conscientious discharge of a mosb disagreeable duty, and we have much pleasure in presenting for your acceptance, a small testimonial, as a very inadequate expression of the appreciation of your motives by those who have sympathised with you. We are on behalf of the subscribers, yours faithfully, T. W. Jokes, Chairman; R. J. Duncan, Hon. Secrebary ; Members of Committee, J. M. McLachlan, H. Phillifs, Hector McQuarrie, James Adams," Mr C. E. Button, in making tho presentation, expressed his pleasure in presenting to Miss Arnaboldi a token of the high esteem and appreciation in which she was held by her fellow citizens. (Applause.) Miss Arnaboldi had displayed great heroism and had manifested true Christian sympathy toward the sick and afflicted in the part she had taken in connection with the late inquiry. (Applause.) Miss Arnaboldi, who was received with loud applause, said: "Mr Chairman and gentlemen of the Hospital Inquiry Committee, —I feel that I cannot fully express my gratitude for tho warm sympathy and staunch supporb which has been extended to me by the members of this Committee during the recent Hospital inquiry ; and also for the kindly and generous feeling which has prompted and secured the pre-

sentation of this valuable testimonial. I can truthfully say that I had no thought of public applause or pecuniary gain when I laid my complaint before Dr. MacGregor, nor at any other time, and therefore had no anticipation that an occasion like the present would arise. When I remember bhab I am a stranger to nearly all of those who have exerted themselves so earnestly on my behalf, and that their assistance was rendered cnbirely unsolicited, I recognise more fully my deep indebtedness for bho great kindness I have received. Bub while thanking all mostsincerely forthis.l wish to thank bhem much more for thus expressing their earnest and true-hearted sympathy with tho sick and suffering in our hospitals, whoso causo I was trying to plead. " In formulating the charges on which tho inquiry was based, I put individual interests aside, and thought only of the claims of suffering humanity and public good, and I earnestly hope that one rosulb of this investigation will be a moro careful and intelligent supervision of the Auckland Hospital in future. "I desire to especially thank Mr Reos, M.H.R., for his greab kindness in gratuitously offering to appear as my counsel and his invaluable services in conducting bhe case, and mosb heartily thank tho Auckland press for the able and courteous manner in which they have reviewed bho subject. I have also to express my gratitude to my Waikato friends." Tho Chairman said that when the first appeal was made for a testimonial to Miss Arnaboldi sho protested strongly against it. expressing herself fully .a.isiiod thab tho Committee had been able to defray bhe expenses of the inquiry, and ib was with some difficulty sho was induced to change her mind.

Mr J. M. McLachlan moved, "That this meeting, whilst expressing its satisfaction at tho conclusions arrived at by tho Commissioners and the terms of their report to the Governor on the charges brought by Miss Arnaboldi against Dr. Collins, cannot refrain.from placing on record ibs opinion that that portion of tho addendum by ono of theCommissionerswhich implies espionageon bhe parbof Miss Arnaboldi was quite uncalled for; and bhe more bo as it boars on the face of it, its own refutation." He stated thab lie attended a mooting of tho Hospital Board ab which tho Commissioners' report was presented, and charged tho members, with continued unfairness in declining to consider any portion of tho decision except wherein it reflected unfavourably on Miss Arnaboldi.

Mr John Abbobt seconded bhe resolution. He referred to the conduct of Mi«s Arnaboldi as noble and heroic, and referred to the greab assistance rendered by the local press in bringing, about a thorough and impartial inquiry. Thoy ousjhb to thank Miss Arnaboldi thub sho had had the womanliness and courage to unmask the lion in its den, for tho benefit of tho sick and suffering. (Loud applause.) Tho resolution was carried by acclamation.

Mr T. Cotter also passed a high eulogium on Miss Arnaboldi for her disinterestedness in tho prosecution of what she considered to bo her duty. Ho had the opportunity of interviewing Miss Arnaboldi long before anything in the shape of a testimonial was proposed, and he was perfectly satisfied that in taking the step she did, she did so solely out of hor interest in suffering humanity. (Applause.) He characterised tho action of Dr. Collins throughout as replying, "This is only Miss Arnaboldi,theroforedon't believeher." Miss Arnaboldi, in spite of all, had, without any prospect of fame, reward, or renown, nobly come forward and done her duty. (Loud applause.) He moved, " That the thanks of this meeting are hereby presented to tho subscribers generally, and especially to Mr A. Forrest, of Cambridge, and Mr-George Edgecumbe, of Hamilton, for their valuablo assistance in collecting the Waikato subscriptions." Tho Roy. Mr Garland, of Hamilton, seconded the proposal. Ho referred bo tho conduct of Miss Arnaboldi as nob only conscientious, bub bravo, and expressed his opinion bhab bho public of Auckland was indebted to Mias Arnaboldi for the facts elicited by the inquiry. The resolution was carried by acclamation.

Mr Goulsbone proposed, "Ib is to be hoped that, the attention of the Government and the Legislature having been directed to the admitted evils of the present sysbem of management adopted by the Auckland Hospital Board, a satisfactory remedy will be speedily found." He did nob intend to make any charge against Dr. Collins, although one of his family had suffered in connection with this investigation, bub ho would repeab one remark made by that gentleman. Ho had said that the Board and himself were determined that any nurse who sympathised with Miss Arnaboldi in what she had done must go.

Mr R. Duncan seconded the resolution, which was carried.

The meetiug concluded with a vote of thanks to tbe Chairman, and to Mr C. E. Button for the way in which he had made the presentation.