MILITARY SANATORIUM.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16947, 23 September 1920, Page 3

MILITARY SANATORIUM.

♦ HOSPITAL BOARD ANNOYED. "POLICY OP INSULT." Further correspondence between the North Gant-erbury Hospital Board and General McGavin, Director-General of , Medical Services, in regard to the Military Sanatorium at Cashmere, was placed on the table at yesterday's meeting of the Board. At the special meeting held on September 11th the Board passed the- following; resolution: "That no further negotiations be entered into with regard to Uhe sanatorium, unless the statements reflecting upon the Board's honour and good faith, contained in General MeGavin's letters, bo withdrawn." This resolution was forwarded to General McGavin on September 13th. Under date of September 11th, General McGavin wrote : —"With reference to your letter, 7.9.20, it would appear that the issuing of instructions at tlio Casflunere Military Sanatorium was done by the officer-in-<charge without the authority of yqnr Board. I presume that the officer-in-charge issued these instructions in anticipation of what he believed would be the policy of the Board. Apparently ihe was not informed by your Board that no alterations of the kind -were to be made. When I met your Board in Christchurch some time prior to tho handing over, it was arranged, and subsequently confirmed by letter, that no alteration of this kind snoulfi be made. T also particularly asked the Board to inform Major Aitken to that effect, so that there would be no misunderstanding. It appears thab your Board did nob inform Major Aitken, who presumably, therefore, considered himself at liberty to adopt a policy of his own, as none h;>d been laid down for Jiim." In reply, the secretary of the Board! stated that he had been directed by tilio chairman to express regret that General ■McGavin was still determined to continue his policy of insult towards the Board, and that Major Aitken had been distinctly informed —prior to the issuing of instructions on August 30th —that the matter of etc., was not to be reopened. The Board had at no timo had under consideration the question of officers' mess or clothing issues. A letter to Mr H. J. Otley (chairman of the Board) from General McGavin, dated September 13th, expressed regret that thp Board should have considered that he %ad acted in any way discourteously. Major Aitken, in reporting to the writer on tho matter, had stated that he issued the instructions in accordance with the agreement b'etween the Hospital Board and the writer. Accompanying this letter was a copy of a. memorandum from the Minister of Defence, detailing reasons for the Department's Replying to General MeGavin's letter of September 13th, Mr Otley stated that he greatly regretted tho trouble that had arisen over the one day that tho Board had control of the sanatorium, bnfc submitting that the whole of tfhe trouble -was through no fault of the Board. Any orders given by Major Aitken were given before he came under the control of the Board, and without the Board's authority, and were withdrawn on August 31st, as soon as tho Board was aware that he had issued them. Major Aitken also received | copies of all General MeGavin's correspondence What referred to the management and privileges of patients; but the question of clothing—with tho exception of repairs to boots—was not mentioned. With respect to extra, fatigues, j it was never the Board's intention, and i Major Aitken was perfectly aware of it, j to ask tho men to do any more than when-un.der military control. "I am afraid, "that you do not fairly appreciate the position of the Board. You speak in every case of tihe future, bait you forget the past. The Board had taken over- control, otherwise it would not have had any complaint about your Department's treatment, but it was quite a different matter to take over for only one day, and in that day carry out everything as before, and then receive a wire from you instructing the Assistant-Director of Medical Services to delay handing over, which meant to resume control, the reason being, receiving telegrams from persons who had previously put everything possible forward to prevent the hospital coming under civil control." Writing under date*Septomber 16th, General McGavin enclosed a statement from Major Aitken, and asking the Board to ensnre to Major Aitken's report the same publicity that it gave to the statement to which Major Aitken was taking exception. Major Aitken's statement referred to the difficulty of his position. He considered that he had been unfairly treated by the Board, in that his actions and administration as an officer of the Board were misrepresented, at a full meeting of the Board, the proceeding of which were made public through the Press, without the Board giving him tho opportunity to niako a statement to justify his actions. Major Aitken further stated: "Upon being asked_ to accept the position of Medical Superintendent of this institution under the Board, I was assured by tih<3 chairman, Mr Otley, that it was the Board's intention that the institution would become" a civil sanatorium, and run. on purely civilian lines. On this understanding I accepted the Board's offer, and this was the only policy upon which I would have consented to accept the position. The . Board at no time before August 31st informed me of any change in their policy, and all the correspondence .and conversations between tho Board and myself revealed no change. It was not till late in the j afternoon of August 31st, that I realised from the chairman's remarks that the Board had altered its policy, as had been outlined to mo. The Board left me to take over the institution., and all my actions in connexion with were strictly in accordance with the instructions and information with which I was supplied by the Board." In reply to this letter, and enclosure, the secretary of tho Board wrote, under date September 2Dth: "I hare to state emphatically that in conversation with the chairman of the Board —eome weeks prior to the Board talcing over ' tho institution—Major Aitken himself stated that he was distinctly of opinion that it would be a grievous mistake to re-open tho question of dish-washing and cleaning. That he waa under the impression that the institution was to bo run on civilian lines is quite comprehensible, as that was the impression you gave tho members of tho Board in all conversations held with you." A letter from General MeGarin, dated September 16th, in answer to the Board's communication of September 13th, stated that tho writer was unable to see that his remarks were in any way insulting. There was certainly no intention to insult the Board. The Board replied that the "policy of insult" referred to had reference to the statements contained in each of General MeGavin's letters since 'September Ist, whereby he practicallv accused the Board of a breach of "faith with the Department, and that his contin lied reiteration of statements was obviously an attempt to impale the

[ Board's honour upon tho [joints of his own irritation. There was no justification whatever ior endeavouring to { throw upon the Board blame which was, ; and should be. properly attaching to j an officer of General McGavin's own service. | Tlie correspondence was received. i j ■*—