HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 19775, 27 January 1928, Page 13

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

MEETING OF BOARD The first monthly meeting lor the new year of the Otago Hospital Board was held last evening. Mr A. F. Quelch was in the chair. Also present: Miss llunciman, Mrs Ross, Messrs McLennan, Morgan, Dove, Larnach, Gallaway, and Dr Newlands. The Director-General of Health wrote advising that the Minister approved of selling the Pine Hill property. —Received. The Director-General of Health wrote also intimating that the Minister had signified approval of the appointment of Dr A. Matheson as house surgeon. —Received. A letter was received from Dr C. A. Taylor stating that he expected to arrive in Dunedin to assume the duties of medical tutor and senior .resident medical officer about the middle of February.—Received. The reports of the various committees were adopted. With regard to the Hospital Committee's report, Dr Newlands stated that there was no call for comment except in regard to the fact that they had asked the Government for a grant of £SOO for temporary accommodation for mental patients. It had been long overdue. Some discussion took place as to whether or not resident medical officers and house surgeons should be required to give three months’ notice before terminating an engagement. In this connection Mr Gallaway moved that the following clause be deleted from section 1, part 4, of the board’s by-laws:—“Their appointments may be terminated by three months notice in writing on either side :n the case of a resident medical officer, and one month’s notice in writing on either side in the case of a house surgeon. The Speaker said that it vomd be necessary to pass this resolution in order that the board might be in a position to carry out the •esohition passed some time ago with regard to having a contract with its house surgeons. In making this alteration it would be necessary to obtain the consent of the Minister, but there should be uo doubt about getting that. Mr Morgan intimated that he was going to vote against the motion. Looking at the broad facts of the case, he thought it would be much better if they could get junior men to enter into an honorable agreement; if they tried to force matters they would not get men of such good class coming to the hospital. A hard-and-fast rule would cause no end of trouble. Dunedin was recognised as having one of the best hospitals in New Zealand, and tnese men came here for tuition. Mr Gallaway maintained that Mr Morgan was not speaking in order. Mr Larnach: “Mr Morgan is forgetting the resolution we passed the other night. He should make it consistent.” , , , The Chairman called for a show or hands. . The motion was carried, and referred to the Hospital Committee for report.