A “TEST CASE”

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24741, 5 December 1945, Page 8

A “TEST CASE”

—+ —-. DIRECTION TO MENTAL

HOSPITAL

INVERCARGILL APPEAL DISMISSED ‘•The Press" Special Service INVERCARGILL, Nov. 1 30. ' "This is a case which has caused considerable public, interest, not so much because'of the case itself,.but because the principle of direction has been questioned. It is being used as a test case,” These remarks were made yesterday by Mr A. J. Peterson, district manpower officer, during the rehearing of the appeal by the Invercargill City Council against the direction of Miss Coral E. McDougail, a member of the public library staff, to the Seacliff menial hospital as a nurse aid.

“At the outset,” continued Mr Peterson, "I would like you to know that during the last six months I have been requested on many occasions by the medical superintendent, Seaclilf Mental Hospital, to provide staff for his institution. Up till recently I have advised the medical superintendent that I did not intend to do anything for him until the northern districts had done all in their power to provide the necessary assistance. For the year ended October 31 the Invercargill office sent 35 girls, most of whom went in February of this year. “In October the medical superintendent called on me and pointed out that the staffing position had become critical and that unless assistance could be afforded to the existing nursing staff by way of replacements for those who had already left, he would be reluctantly compelled to refuse admittance to any further patients; and further, that he would have no option but to refuse further treatment to a considerable number of patients already in the institution and have them returned to their homes. He stated that there were quite a number of Southland patients who -would have to be returned to their horpes in the very neat future if assistance was not forthcoming. I must point out that in many cases if these people do not get treatment immediately or continue to receive their .reatment, their chances of recovery will be greatly prejudiced.

“I am pleased to say I received assistance and co-operation from public bodies,” stated Mr Peterson, “but unfortunately some of our city fathers at a recent council meeting, saw fit to condemn the policy of providing staff by direction. Not satisfied with this, a' statement purporting to be made by one of the councillors concerned appeared in the local press, when the councillor was reported to have said that the girls directed should refuse to go forward and should defy the manpower regulations. I realise of course that these few councillors in all probability spoke hastily and without knowledge of the facts. Their action is in direct contrast to that taken by other local bodies who before publicly criticising the policy came along to my office and made inquiries concerning the matter to be discussed. ’’

"The committee has: to decide whether this young lady would be doing more valuable work nursing the sick or distributing books,” said the chairman (Mr M, W. Grantham). ”ln 700 vacancies for female labour, and