HOW DID SHE GET THE JOB?

NZ Truth, Issue 999, 17 January 1925, Page 7

HOW DID SHE GET THE JOB?

Matron With A Past

A Story Over a Telephone,

When Margaret Beatrice Brodie, the Australian nurse with a criminal record who received an appointment under the Auckland Hospital Board and was afterwards arrested for false pretences m issuing valueless cheques, appeared before Magistrate Poynton for sentence, she asked that she be sent back to Australia. The S.M. said that would not be fair to the people here. The woman had done wrong and would have to be punished for her wrongs on this side. Chief Detective Cummings said that the police had recovered many of the goods which the accused had obtained. They had got them from Hawkes Bay, where she was arrested. The accused said she had given authority for the return of the goods and also for the repayment of as much of the money as she had funds to meet. The Chief Detective said that was so, but the money she had was not enough unfortunately. A PUZZLE. The S.M., m passing sentence, said it was puzzling to know how a woman with such a bad record could get charge of two different cottage hospitals m this country within so short a time after completing a sentence m Australia for fraud. Not 'only was she a criminal with numerous aliases and convictions, but a drug addict. It would tie proper to keep her m prison for as long as possible for the protection of the public, but as she was an undesirable immigrant within the meaning of the Immigration Restriction Act, it would be perhaps better to order her return to Australia after receiving a sufficient sentence for or^e of the offences, and to keep the others hanging over her head m case she be not returned to Australia, where she was well known. She would be convicted on all seven charges and sentenced to three months' imprisonment on one charge. On the others she would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon with-, m twelve months. If she could not be deported at the termination of the sentence, he promised her the longest term possible, not as a punishment so much as m the" interests of the community. HOW IT WAS DONE. The S.M. prefaced his remarks m passing sentence by stating that it .was a puzzle to know how 9. woman like prisoner could get into two responsible jobs m this country m so short a time. But, after all, where an experienced crook is concerned, who, has the gift of plausibility well developed and who can concoct a "yarn" withQut a flush, such an achievement presents little difficulty: When Nurse Brodie applied for the position at Warkworth under the Auckland Board she told the representative, of that body that she had lost her original certificate somewhere among her baggage, and also her testimonials, but as luck would have it Dr. Beatrice Brown, of Melbourne, happened to be m the city at the time and she knew the applicant well and could ■ speak to her qualifications for the position \of matron. The doctor was putting up at the so-and-so hotel, and could be got m touch with. Some time later the same day, or at least before the 'applications for the situation were considered, the officer m question received a call from a certain well-known hotel. The voice was that of a woman evidently of good education and address. She said she understood that Nurse Brodie was applying for a certain post. Yes, the official answered, that was so. .. Well, the voice said, she was a fine woman— an excellent woman — and the Board would be ever so lucky if they got her to take the position. The speaker represented herself to be Dr. Brown, of Melbourne, who had had the nurse working for her, and knew of her abilities and sterling qualities, She could heartily recommend the nurse. If it were possible to see through the •phone there might have been a surprising discovery for the Board's officer. But then, had there been such an invention, the dodge would never have been tried, and another applicant might have got the job.