"PIN-PRICKING."

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19480, 29 November 1928, Page 7

"PIN-PRICKING."

CRITICISM OF HOSPITAL STAFF. BOARD MEMBERS OBJECT. In a letter to the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday Dr. J. F. Duncan, medical superintendent of Bottle Lake Hospital, said that one of the parents of children about whom complaint had been made had not been given to understand that his letter would be published, and he had been exceedingly sorry to see it in print. Mrs E. 11. McCombs protested against a statement in Dr. Duncan's letter that the editor of the paper concerned should have first referred the matter to the authorities. This was a country of free speech, she said. The chairman (Mr H. J. Otley): Don't we know it! No paper had a right, Mr Otley said, to publish slanderous statements without first ascertaining if they were correct. If a story onoe went out to the public there were many who did not read the correction. If the staff were going to be criticised when they were doing their best a great deal of difficulty would be found in getting a staff for the hospitals. People should be sure of their facts if they wanted to criticise.

Mr A. T. Smith said that there was no doubt that there was pin-pricking of the staff from outside and from certain members of the Board. "Some of these little girls had their resignations written cut," said Mr Smith, "but I told them to show their Scotch blood and stick to it If the staff is in the wrong get rid of it, but don't keep on nagging. If it is in the right it is the duty of the Board to stand behind it." A remark by Mr Smith that "these little women were doing their duty far more thoroughly than Mrs McCombs was doing hers," brought Mr Clyde Carr. M.P., to his feet, strongly protesting against what he described as "personalities and odious comparisons."

Mr Smith withdrew his remark. The secretary then read a letter from the parent of another child expressing warm appreciation for the care of the staff at Bottle Lake. Mr H. H. Holland also made reference to the Rev. T. W. Armour's tribute to the staff at the fast meeting of the Presbytery. The chairman: There is very little doubt that people as a whole are satisfied.