PROFESSORIAL APPOINTMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 18716, 19 August 1924, Page 4

PROFESSORIAL APPOINTMENTS.

The 'New Zealand Medical Journal,’ which is the official organ of the British Medical Association (New Zealand branch), published every two months in Wellington, devotes the loading article of its August number to the subject of professorial appointments, prompted by the necessity for finding a successor to Dr Barnett as Professor of Surgery at the Otago Medical School. The opinions which wo expressed at the time on the refusal of the Otago University Council to 'agree to the establishing of an expert committee to advise it in the matter of this appointment find the strongest support in the comments of the professional journal. “ The appointment of tiro only Professor of Surgery in the dominion,” it is pointed out, “is a matter which by no means is the concern alone of the Council of the University of Otago, although that body must finally make the actual appointment j but the choice of a suitable occupant of the chair of surgery is of importance to the whole medical profession in New Zealand, and, above all, it concerns the whole dominion, for the Otago Medical School is not a provincial but a national institution.” The ‘Medical Journal ’ very naturally interprets the assurance of the council that, without agreeing to the appointment of a special committee, it will “make all necessary inquiries from those capable of giving advice,” as an admission that it feels tho need of expert counsel. And it finds the same difficulty that we did ourselves in determining how this half concession can ever be satisfactorily practised. “ Surely,” the Journal exclaims, “it is nob intended that individual members of the council should, at their own sweet will, buttonhole ‘ those capable of giving advice,’ and so make confusion worse, confounded.

Of course, there will be no attempt, consciously or subconsciously, to influence the opinion of ‘ those capable of giving advice,’ but will they bo supplied with documents and all necessary data?” Dealing more particularly with the position that has occurred, the journal goes on: “ The members of the University Council of Otago are all laymen, except Sir Lindo Ferguson, Dr Marshall Macdonald, and Dr Fitzgerald, and of those Sir Lindo Ferguson may probably be overseas when the appointment is made. The major part in the choice of a Professor of Surgery in the New Zealand Medical School is surely a groat responsibility for Dr Marshall Macdonald and Dr Fitzgerald, and may put these gentlemen in a false position, or in the semblance of a false position, although those who know them would not question their impartiality. The case for the appointment of an export advisory committee selected throughout New Zealand’ is so overwhelming that it would be difficult or impossible to find a single objection on reasonable grounds, llic council of the Otago University must be well aware that in the appointment of a successor to Professor Barnett the council is acting for the whole, of New Zea land, and if friction arises In the making of the appointment, or. a narrow provincial spirit or bickering, it may, and indeed should, lead to a change in control of the Medical School, and certain it is that an unsuitable appointment would have far-reaching effects.” The council will bo wise if it gives heed to these opinions of the profession, and, as we have urged before, there would be no real derogation from the council’s dignity and no more than a natural system would bo followed by inviting, without necessarily accepting, the advice of a special committee in all cases of appointments in which expert qualifications are required.