"COMMAND ERED."

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 9

"COMMAND ERED."

HOSPITAL WARD AT OTAKI. WELLINGTON BOARD KITFLED. ('BESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON. July 22. Whoa the troops were recently transferred from Trentham to the country camps, the Inspector of Military Hospitals, D r _ Valintinc. made use of the male ward in the Otaki Hospital for the accommodation of military patients, d At a meeting of the Otaki committee g of tho Wellington Hospital Board, n held on July 11th, the following mo : . tion was carried:—"This Board enter* c an emphatic protest at the action of J the; Inspector-General of Hospitals in .- J commandeering the male ward of the „ > Otaki Hosmtal for tho reception of m- " ! fectious eases from the military camps v \ without consulting the medical supcri I intendent or the chairman of the i ! Hoard."' This decision was mentioned .i in a letter sent to Dr. Ynlintmc on ■ j July 1-Jth. The communication pomtied out that in cleariug.the hospital o_ 3 j all male patients, tho Horowhcnua an< I Otaki residents were deprived of the - ; advantages of the institution. _ No ad j ditional cases of troopers suffering froir . ' infections diseases were to be admitted ij to the Otaki HospHal without autho- ) : r'ty from tho Board'a representatives f ' Tlie fever ward at the Wellington Hospital wns empty, rind infectious case- . from the camp could be sent there. \ rcplv was received from Dr. valintinc on Ju'y 19th. and this was read . i j,t to-dav'3 meeting of the Hospitn i Board. The writer regretted that ir. ' i tho lmrrv of shiftincr the camos there ; ! wa * no time to the chairman t ! but honed that members realised the , crcat difficulties of the I>wtmer> t at ■ oresent. and would not mit ar-y obstacles in the wav nt this juncture : :-«.<- regard, the people ■ iSnlct of Levin . ..ml "Wiiikanac, "ho >>"t . tnc ™ I ilm to very C-V' t . , SV,X Cn w C ot mc in this emergency? But tor tne extreme courtcsv 1 have ever rceeiveu from your Board, and the readiness with which members have helped to Department during emergencies in th*past, 1 should l>o inclined to answer your letter in very much stionger i terms." ..- ~ ", . ~ j Mr Baldwin (chairman) said that the position was that people from Paekakariki to Loi.gburn had, if they required hospital attention, to go to Wellington or Palnu-rston North. Dr. Valintine s letter was "off the track." Tho people of Wellington, or of any other district, would bo willing to billet troops if required but there was a difference between troons in pwd health and troops with nieasiea and other infectious diseases. It was the duty of the Board to look after the sick iv their district. Dr. Valjntino had acted with, a high hand when ho had commandeered the hospital. Dr. J. K. Elliott said that Dr. Valintino's reply was eminently unsatisfactory ;ho added insult to injury. He was tho dictator and despot of hospitals, but members of the Board did r.ot require to ba lectured on'theij- duty by him. They were all just as patriotic as any high official of the Government. Even" at a time like this, ordinary courtesy should not be disregarded. It was absurd for him to that he had had no time to act differently. Ho was a panic pursued man going through, the coiratiy, and was unprepared for emergencies. Ho should have asked -permission,' which would have been granted at onco. Dr. Valintine thought he could override everyone. The speaker was suro that the brave young soldiers <hd not want the civilians to bo put n their places. Tho Key. H. Van Stavercn agreed with tho previous speaker's remarks. The Victoria Home had been given up by tho Board, and it was a mistake for Dr. Valintine to say tiiat. the mon. needed to be placed in Otaki. Mr Baldwin said that fifteen cases of measles and two other cases had been placed at Otaki on tho 11th. It had been asked that no moro cases be sent to Otaki, as there "were 2~> beds availp.blo in the Wellington Hospital, but notwithstanding this moro cases had been sent. Mr •). Smith s.iid that a lack of common senso had prevented the residents of Horowhenua from having the use of their hospital. Mr It. B. Gardener said that some of tho remarks of previous speakore wero uncalled for. Ho thought that Dr. Valintine had in the best interests of tho men, and that the patients who had boon moved from the hospital had not been inconvenienced. Dr. Elliott susrgfste-d that no patients should bo Admitted to'the Board's institutions -without the Board's authority, but the letter was finally "received. 17