HOSPITAL CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 198, 22 August 1935, Page 11

HOSPITAL CRISIS.

ALL WOMEN RESIGN. DRAMATIC WAIHI MOVE. BOARD MEMBERS' ATTITUDE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day. A crisis has been reached in connection with the disruption of hospital affairs here, following the action of the board in dismissing the matron, Miss M. K. Stevenson, and reinstating one of the nursing aids, Miss Howie.

All the fewale members of the staff have given the required seven days' notice of their intention to re.3i.2n, and a special meeting of the board will be convened at an early date to consider the resignations. It was rumoured that the medical superintendent, Dr. L. R. Hotherington, had also resigned, but it was ascertained this morning that such was not correct. The masseuse is not included among the resignations, as she is not under the jurisdiction of the matron. Chairman Interviewed. Tho chairman, Mr. A. E. Robinson, interviewed this morning, said that the decision of the board was tantamount to a motion of no-confidence in the whole of the staff. When the trouble started a month ago with an order from the board that the nursing aid who had been suspended be reinstated, the whole of the members of the nursing staff asked to be allowed to meet the board and place their views on tha question before it. The board declined the request, but if it had been acceded to no doubt the trouble wou'd have ended there.

Replying to the chairman's statement, a member of the board contests the assertion thp.t the decision of the board is tantamount to a motion of no confidence by the whole of the staff. The dispute centred round the matron only, he said, and her treatment of Nurse Howie. There was also, he pointed out, a letter recently read from Nurse Carter stating that had experienced the unhappiest period of her nursing existence when at the Waihi Hospital. Twenty-one Resignations. In all twenty-one members of the staff gave notice, the domestics iuvolved numbering eight, the nursing aids eight, and sisfers and staff nurses five, two and three respectively. The domestics gave a week's notice, the aids a fortnight's notice, and the sisters and staff nurses a month's notice. i Miss Stevenson relinquished her duties as matron yesterday morning, and her post for the time being has been taken over by Sister V. White.