HOSPITAL MATRON

Evening Star, Issue 18749, 26 September 1924, Page 10

HOSPITAL MATRON

UNUSUAL POSITION ARISES. DOUBT AS TO SUCCESSFUL ' APPLICANT’S AGE. DISCUSSION AT BOARD MEETING. The position which recently arose in respect, to the appointment of a matron for the Dunedin Hospital raised a long discussion at the meeting of the Hospital Board last night. There wore two notices of motion by Dr Newlands, as follow:—■ (1) That the motion of the board appointing Miss Mabel Thurston as_ matron of the Dnnedih Hospital be rescinded. (2) That Miss Mabel Thurston be appointed matron of tho Dunedin Hospital subject to her supplying the board with a satisfactory certificate of _ health and a certificate of age, as stated in the application—namely, forty-nine years of age. Dr Newlands, in moving tho first proposal, said his task, was an unpleasant one, and ho hoped to get it through with a minimum of unpleasantness to everyone else. When the board advertised the position it stated that applicants should he not more than forty-five years of age, but that with special qualifications a candidate of up to fifty years would he considered. Miss Thurston’s age was given by herself as forty-nine years in her letter. Up to the time of the appointment ho had no reason to believe that there was any mistake in tho age, though he had good grounds for believing that the lady’s health was not all it should be. Shortly afterwards ho received information that her ago was considerably more than forty-nine. He treated that ns evidence, not as proof, and he had further evidence tending in the same direction. He thought tho questions both of age and of health were important in an officer taking up the responsible position of matron. He had given notice of his second motion to show that, if the two conditions were fulfilled, he would waive any personal feeling ho had from information he had received. Tho lady was personally unknown to him, as also were the other applicants. The two motions spoke for themselves, and if the first were carried he would immediately move tho second, providing for the appointment of Miss Thurston, subject to satisfactory evidence of health and age being produced. Mr Dove suggested that there was no occasion to move the motions in face of the intimation from Miss Thurston that she declined the position and the Press Association telegram published on tho matter.

Mrs Macdonald : I move that tho position be offered to bliss Thurston.

Mr Dove : I am asking for the ruling of the chairman.

The Chairman said the feeling he had was that, if the first motion were canned, Dr Newlands should have an opportunity of moving the second one. If the second motion were carried, that would give Miss Thurston the opportunity of producing tho information desired or of finally declining the position. Mr Hancock : There is no necessity for the motions in view of the information we have. Mrs Macdonald ; Dr Newlands should have given us some reasons why an appointment like this should he upset. Mr Dove : With all due respect to Sirs Macdonald, I would like a ruling on my point of order. Mrs Macdonald : I am going to move that bliss Thurston be offered the position of matron. Dr Newlands has been most unfair.

Mr Dove : I rise to a point of order. Mrs Macdonald is not going to speak until the question of the point of order has been decided. The Chairman said bliss Thurston’s reply had been a definite refusal, but he thought in all fairness she should be given a final opportunity to give the necessary information that Dr Newlands asked for.

Mr Dove : I protest against your ruling, and totally disagree with it. Mr Dove said he would second Dr Newlauds's motion. He considered forty-nine was too old for such a responsible position. They had to consider the interests of the district. It seemed that superannuation in the nursing profession would soon he an accomplished fact, and they would have to make provision for the musing staff, and they were going to put at tho head of it a woman fifty years of age. They would have to pay their quota, which tho Government would subsidise. If they had many servants approaching bliss Thurston’s ago it meant a mighty big thing for the district from a financial point of view. Forty-five was quite old enough, if not too old.

Mrs Macdonald: “ The wording of the motion, is an insult to the whole of the nursing profession in Now Zealand, and I regret that it should he moved by the member of a profession that owes so much to the loyalty of nurses. Dr Newlands’s motion is founded on gossip.” The speaker went on to say that a man—he would be nameless—had come in off the street and told Dr Newlands that Miss Thurston was fiftv-six, and that she should have a health certificate. He had offered no proof yet that he was right. If they had Miss Thurston for only five years it would pay them to have a woman with such organising ability. That was what was required in the Dunedin Hospital. Dr Newlands : Do you seriously consider that?

Mrs Macdonald replied that she did. She considered there was room for improvement in an organising direction, fihe (Mrs Macdonald) maintained that Miss Thurston should bo asked to take the position. Mrs Jackson said she quite agreed with Mrs Macdonald. Mr Scurr said he felt that what Mrs Macdonald had said had a good deal to commend it. IE Dr Newlands had anything against Miss Thurston’s candidature they should have been told about it before the appointment w T as made. If they were going to be swayed by gossip and tittletattle they would not get their business done. The board would make no mistake if bliss Thurston were appointed matron of bo ->ifM. She had wonderful organist"; ability. Dr Newlands said he got his information from Dr Fitzgerald, who got it from a source lie thought worthy of belief. Doubts had been cast upon the lady’s age that had warranted him in asking for confirmation. He had got information that ho thought might he relied upon, and he had got further information subsequently. Mrs Macdonald : Mere gossip. Mr Qnelch said ho was always open to reason, and lie did not think the request made by Dr Newlands was out of the way. The position might be explained to bliss Thurston to give her a fair chance. If she declined that it ended the matter. The Chairman said he considered Dr Newlands’s motion quite reasonable. A doubt had been raised whether the lady’s age exceeded that set by the board, and Dr Newlands was quite justified in tabling liis notice of motion. It was a little unfortunate the matter leaked out and became public. (Every member of the board had had to be supplied with Dr Newlands’s notice of motion.

Mr Morgan said he had voted for Miss Thurston, and he saw nothing wrong with Dr Newlands’s motion. Miss Thurston could supply a doctor’s certificate, and her ago certificate. "The motion, on being put to the meeting, was supported by Tour members and opposed by four members. The Chairman gave his vote in.favor of the motion. The other motion was then moved by Dr Newlands and seconded by Mr Hancock. The motion was earned.