‘Drunken Louts' At Hospital

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 6

‘Drunken Louts' At Hospital

The action of “drunken louts” intruding into Christchurch Hospital was condemned by Mr R. G. Armstrong at yesterday’s meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board.

It was reported that a group of intruders in a ward at the hospital late at night recently caused much concern to the staff involved. The medical superintendent (Dr L. M. Berry) had instructed senior nursing staff on how future incidents are to be handled and the circumstances under which police are to be called.

“I am pleased that at long last some formula has been laid down to meet this situation,” said Mr Armstrong “Our doctors and nurses have enough to do without having to put' up with drunken louts.”

It was a pity, however, that the police were not more cooperative as it seemed intruders had not been prosecuted.

Dr Berry said the police were always most co-operative and when Called Were at the

hospital in two minutes. They did seem reluctant to prosecute, but if there was any malicious intent, he wis Sure they would be hard. ’The intruders were more a nuisance than anything else.