POSTS ABOLISHED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 21, 25 July 1939, Page 7

POSTS ABOLISHED

AUCKLAND HOSPITAL

EFFECT OF SOCIAL SECURITY,

(By Telegrapii-rPress Aesoeiation.)

ATJCKIiAND. July 24. After being in. operation for less than a year, the medical staffing scheme introduced at Auckland Hospital last September was terminated tonight when the Hospital Board decided to discontinue the posts of chiefs of the divisions of medicine and surgery held by Dr. C. R. Burns and Mr. J. M. Clarke respectively. Emphasis wa* laid on the high qualifications' and professional standing of the two officers, but the majority of the board .considered that the payment of £400© in salaries would not be justified whea the Social Security scheme required the. honorary visiting staff to _be remunerated.

Far-reaching changes in the organisation, which included the creation, of executive: medical and surgical posts* were adopted =by the previous Hospital Board,on November 30, 1937. After subsequent discussions, ' Dr. Burns and Mr. Clarke were appointed to the newly-created positions , jon March 1, 1938, and both assumed-their duties sortie months later. Each post carried a commencing / salary" of* £1500 a year, rising to '£'2000 at; the end.of a. year,. ;".; / '■■.'• / V: ; ;.;"-: ■',

More'tHan an hour was spent by tb.f board in discussing a recommendatioa by the finance, committee to : > abolish the positions as an -ecoliomy measure. By a margin of eight votes, to four the report was adopted, after.a keen and at times acrimonious discussion, one of the members, Dr. J. P. Hastings, leaving the meeting as a markof> protest when the resolution was carried.