PLUNKET SOCIETY DISSENSION

Evening Star, Issue 21632, 30 January 1934, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY DISSENSION

DISMISSAL OF 'MISS PATTRIGK MRS M'GEORGE REPLIES TO WELLINGTON PRESIDENT The following letter has been sent to the presidents of the branches of the Plunket Society by the president of the council (Mrs M'George):— “ Mrs Tythe Brown, the president of the Wellington branch', has written the secretary asking her to advise the committee— ‘ I did not vote at the council meeting.’ The Press throughout the dominion has published statements purporting to have been made by Mrs Tythe Brown repeating that she did not vote at the council meeting. “ The executive docs not think, nor do I, that it is proper or in the best interests of the society to indulge _in a public controversy with Miss Pattrick or her advisers on a matter that we regard as a purely domestic one, but feel that it is a very different matter if the executive or I have in any way misrepresented or done an injustice to an esteeemed member of the council holding the high position of presulmt of the branch, and that courtesy to her demands a statement’ on the grounds for our statement that 1 Mrs Tythe Brown was present during the full discussion and was in agreement with the decision arrived at.’ “ The discussion was first taken in committee, when the following unanimous resolution was arrived at: —‘ That the Central Council of the Plunket Society'here assembled, after full consideration, decides that the retirement of the director of Plunket nursing is in the best interests of the work of the society.’ This resolution was subsequently moved, seconded, and duly carried unanimously in open meeting. Before the close of the meeting the minutes stating that this resolution was unanimously agreed to were read and confirmed by the meeting, Mrs Tythe Brown being present on all three occasions.

“ The following is an extract from the minutes of the meeting of the council held at Wellington on Thursday, November 2, 1933, at which Mrs Tythe Brown was present:—‘ On the motion of Miss Elsie Williams, seconded by Mrs Cracroft Wilson, it was unanimously agreed that the Central Council of the Plunket Society here assembled, after full consideration, decide that the retirement of the director of Plunket nursing is in the best interests of the work of the society.* These minutes were confirmed at the close of the meeting that day, Mrs Tythe Brown,being again present. A sub-committee _ consisting of the president, Miss Williams, and Mrs Harding was appointed to see Mr Justice Blair with the view of having the resolution carried into effect. Mrs Tythe Brown was associated with the sub-committee, and was _ present at the interview with Mr Justice Blair. “ I think I may be excused for relying in my original statement upon the official records of the meeting, but, of course, if these records are, as Mrs Tythe Brown now asserts, erroneous, she will no doubt take steps at the next meeting of the council to have them corrected.”

MRS BROWN'S COMMENTS

[Per United Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, January 30. Replying to Mrs M'George’s letter to the presidents of the Plunket branches, Mrs Brown, president of the Wellington branch, says slid,does not dispute that Uni motion was carried unanimously, in tliaj, there was no opposition to it, but states emphatically sho did not vote at all. Long before the matter was announced to the public and a fortnight before Miss Pattrick was given her ultimatum, she wrote to Mrs M‘George as follows; —

“ I have felt very confused ever since the council meeting, and feel it is due to you and the Central Executive in Dunedin to tell you all from my viewpoint. Perhaps you would notice that I did not actually vote 6n the question.” Mrs Brown said that for the rest she was going. to make a full explanation of not voting at the conference in February, which seemed to her to be the right and proper place to discuss the pros and cons.