ORTHOPÆDIC UNIT

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16274, 26 July 1918, Page 7

ORTHOPÆDIC UNIT

? o>'. G. W. KI'SSELI/S ATTITUDE. STATEMENT CY THE MINISTER. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Hospitals, who passed through Christtharch on his way to Duncdin yesterday made a statement to n representative of " Tiie I>ross " regarding the utilisation of tho Chalmers "Ward at the Christchurcli Hospital by the Defence Department for the housing of the Orthoiwciic I nit. jl r Russell cited the correspondence which Bad passed between him and the Hospital aru! saitl t,iat ' lavin^' oj j nno 27th, seen the report in the .napers regarding the interview Colonel Valintine Jmu with the Board, he telegraphed to tho secretary of ti:o V Boaid ''f° v ' ui! iwticuiars arrangements proposed to be made." On 1 tho 29th the ISonrd's secretary, in n letter, set out the proposals as agreed to by tlio Hoard's Special Committee, and asked for the Minister's approv;:! thereof* Mr Rns'soll then instructed Dr. J. P. Frengley, Acting-Inspcctor-General of Hospitals, to report on the subject, and th: Minister received his report on July oth. On July 2nd the jfcnister telegraphed to Dr. Frcngliy to the effect that it was necessary to receive, through thr- Board, <- a written statement containing the Defence Minister's proposals, and commitments, as a verbal statement by Colonel Valintine is insufficient to commit tho Defence Department." On July 10th. after perusing and considering Dr. Frengley's report, tho Minister again brought before Dr. Froaglcy the necessity for n statement in writing from tho Dcfence Department. On tho llth the Minister telegraphed to the Board on tho same wbject, the Board's secretary replying that the Board had received nothing in writing from the Defence Department. : On llonday last (22nd inst.) Mr Rus- • sell and Sir 'James Allen conforred on fthe Biibject, and Sir James handed to Mr Russell Surgeon-General Henderioa's memorandum, the salient points of which wero incorporated in Sir Jnmes's telegram to the Board, published in yesterday's issue. Tho same day .Sir James forwarded a letter to Mr Kussell incorporating the basis of tho arrangement arrived at. On the 23rd Jfr RnsSell replied stating that ho had ouch "pleasure in concurring with tho proposals as set out in Sir James's letter. On the 24th the Minister wrote »t some length to Miss _ Chalmers, informing that lady that "it is with 6ome reluctance that I have consented to the change of the use of tho building," but ts the claims of the returned soldiers : trere paramount, ho had given his conf sent: the Minister also set out the terms upon which the Chalmers Word 1 is to be occupied by the Defence DeA ■ purtmunt. On the 24th Mr "Russell wrote as follows to the chairman of the : Hospital Board: — i'l Have the honour to inform you that the Hon. the Minister of Defence < hag submitted to me the proposals of . Surgeon-General Henderson for the /occupation by the Defence Department • ©f tho Chalmers Ward. I have. conferred with the Minister of Defence, , «nd in doing so raised the following taints: (1) The term for which the Del leoce Department desires to occupy the iWard. This is to be for a period not linger than three years after the close ot tho war. (2) That as the Chalmers Ward was originally intended, both by , Miss Chalmers and by myself, as Minister of Hospitals, for occupation by, and the'treatment of, chronic invalids, provision, should be mado by tho Defence Department, during its occupation of the Ward, , for such case? of that class I understand that your v Coasts; raw placing cases of this class nt either.the Old Men's Home, at Ashbortori, or ihe Home for Aged Women, , at Wools ton. Probably other cases will arise during the time the Defence Department, occupies the Chalmers Ward. ! The Minister of Defence has now agreed that ill order that these people may hp housed and treated by the Board, t * his Deportment will pay the rent or any buildings that may bo required while .the Chalmers Ward is'occupied by the Defence Department. (8) The j " Defence .Department's proposals, which t hare been accepted, have been greatly ' modified, 'as compared with those that ; -"were laid before your Bonrd by Colonel Vnlbtine Buildings which were pror i posed, in the first instance, are not now $ ta bo gone on with, and I have laid it d6wn os a farther condition that no .■i". gildings are to be erected by the Dee . fence Deportment, outside those prefer i posed m General Henderson's memoranTk dum, without the consent having been '•• . first obtained of your Hospital Board, ' - and myself.', With these, alterations and < modifications, I have now much plea- ■ rare, in concurring in the proposals of the Defence Minister for the occupatiop of the Chalmers Ward as the location, of tho Orthopaedic Unit, and re- : commend the Bamo for your acceptance. .'J my colleague will forward '/to-yon Surgeon-General Henderson's , Memorandum and copy of his letter to >me. P.S.—I attach copy of letter I, ...have to-day tent to Miss Chalmers on ■-/v. ,*thii,matter.''

-; Commenting on this correspondency, y,Mr Russell;said that it would be Keen i rv.ttat there had been no delay whatever - .the part of the Hospitals Depart--3 fluent. It was impossible for him to with the proposals until they • reduced to concrete shape and ■ before him in writing by the j'Mmi&ter of Defence. Without that would have been no commitment, ' U j j rou^ e . would certainly have entitled in time to come in respect of time ■ find conditions of the tenure of the •V ' Ward by the Defence Department. The first communication in writing he i sMived from his colleague was on Tuesday /the 23rd inst.), and it was immediately dealt with. Tho Minister expressed regret that members of the . . noawrdid not refrain, until thev had the wholo of the facts before them, c. iwfore.they spoke as they did at Wed- * ? Besday's meeting. As Minister of Hqs- . ■ Pi" l Is he had to safeguard the interests , . t»e civilian population in every **ay ; ' POflsible. It was a complete surprise tQ hun to learn, a few weeks ago, that -the Chalmers Ward had not been *sod vL * j®' P^P OBO f°r which it was erected. It .was quite incorrect to =.i.v that the use of the Ward for military was done with his approval. : Sttch was not the case. The only commuueation on his file on the subject one addressed to the then liv of Hospitals, notifying ' v. c P ail S° of purpose: this was not . Drought before nim officially and was known by him. While considering •flat overv assistance should be given to the military authorities for the pur- ' P >S i. ?? dealing with soldier patients, up held strongly the opinion that the population must be also conwaered, and his one desire had been to '•nf ?• c "*^' an population protected. . % P° ncnv ' ai d down in connexion ' With tho Chalmers Ward would at any *ate_ ensure that if accommodation 's Jfcfltureq for chronic cases, the Defence department would pay the rent of the '* buildings. "I have only to Mr Russell said in. conclusion, t ' ' tl people of Christchurch who me Pay little' heed to the t "'ft ii ft t have been made, either at 1 sn? B ° a r d or > n the Press, upon myself, i ' > i «ti P9sition is that as a matter - business it has been treated, and as j '{* f ? matter of business it came before ; me on Tuesday last, and within 24 ; r Soars it was settled." AND BOARD MEMBERS. SATISFACTORY INTERVIEW. Hon. G. W. Russell the chairman of the Hospital Board .Wednesday (Mr. F. Horreil), asking

him to see him (the Minister) on tt«* railway station prior to the departure ?r rr° oX P rcss f° r the south yesterday. Mr Horrell Avas not able to attend, but ™o_Hon. R. Moore. M.L.C., and .Mr "• B. Sorcnsen of the Board a J?d rocmbers of the Special Committee of tno Board to which the matter was referred), and Mr W. S Wh.T't- (secretary of the Board) wtfrc present. . .7 Russell explained matters on lines similar to those in bis stntcmont to *he representative of "The Press." Messrs Moore and Sorenson. when asked by a reporter rosnocting their interview* with the Minister, stated thnfc t ,ey < ~o nsicl<?i*o:l it sntisfnotoi'v. and Mr Snrenscii added that things ■were on a fair wnv to settlement in rr-srert of fclie establishment of ?J>e Orthopaylic T'nit in the Chalmers Ward at the hosj-jtal.