“Hospital Dispute Could Spread”

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 22

“Hospital Dispute Could Spread”

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, April 6. A warning that the Kew Hospital dispute could cause “an industrial upheaval in Southland of such magnitude that the province will be plunged into a crippling position”, was expressed today by the acting Chairman of the Southland Hospital Board, Mr M. W. Grantham.

Mr Grantham said the "industrial upheaval” could result if members of the Kew Hosptal visiting medical staff did not withdraw their “resignations and threats.” He was commenting on decisions reached at a meeting of hospital workers last night.

Mr Grantham said that at the combined meeting of visiting medical staff and board members he issued a warning to the doctors that there was considerable agitation among other employees of the board. The warning was ignored. Appeal to Doctors “I now appeal to the same doctors to cease their unconstitutional and unfair tactics, to withdraw their resignations and threats and to await the appointment of a new medical .superintende: t-in-chief, who surely is the proper person to institute reforms at Kew if these are found to be necessary.” Mr Grantham said the workers of Southland “will not stand idly by and allow the constitutional and democratic rights of their fellow workers to be trodden underfoot. “The board will certainly not damage the reputation of Dr. J. Ramsay (the acting medical superintendent-in-chief) by reversing the decision to appoint him as acting medical superintendent with the same authority as Dr. H. Hunter.” Mr Grantham said that there was now no need for a further meeting between the parties, nor was there a need for the commission of inquiry to be reconvened. “The responsibility for the present trouble lies fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the medical men and not on the board members, who should be allowed to perform the tasks the people of Southland elected them to do. “I appeal to the other members of the board's staff to remain calm in these very difficult circumstances.”