OUR READERS' OPINIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4182, 7 March 1916, Page 6

OUR READERS' OPINIONS.

I HOSPITAL AFFAIRS. 1 I (To the Editor.) j Sir, —Will you allow me through ! yiuir coloumns to suggest the belief | that there is far too much fuss made jof the present hospital trouble. For j a nurse to bo dismissed is a serious ! business, but for a nurse to be di.s- ---} r.?ted is a very common occurrence, i Judging by comparison with other i shortcomings, a nurse's sins are baby i play. The present position has arisen 1 in my opinion through the matron appealing to the wrong person. Had she consulted with the Medical Superintendent he would have put things right in two seconds. It would be a pity and a mistake, also disloyalty to her supporters, if the matron resigned her position. I believe Miss Tait is doing good work, and everybody knows (I do, anyway) how hard it is to secure the best order in such an institution. If v.e get an ideal state of affairs, we shall be under' a debt of gratitude to the matron, superintendent and some of the members of the Board. I think some are inclined to blame the Chairman of the Hospital Board unjustly. All through 1m ]ms boon put in a wrong position. When suddenly brought face to lace with new conditions, he has made a slight mistake. While touching on hospital matters, will you allow me to refer to the practice of having nurses in uniform in our streets and public places collecting money, lfc may lie I am a little old-fashioned in this respect, but I do think the sight of nurses in spotless uniforms that one j associates with sickness and trouble should not *be encouraged to appear in all sorts of rough and fumble places. Our “Hospital Saturdays” have to be blamed for tills impairing i of professional dignity, and the less it is encouraged the "better for the profession.—l am. etc.. K J. SMITH.