HOSPITAL MATTERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19530, 13 July 1925, Page 8

HOSPITAL MATTERS.

THE PROPOSED INQUIRY. RESOLUTION BY CITIZENS’ DEPUTATIONA meeting of the Otago Hospital Board was held on Thuisday to consider a letter received from the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley) as the x'esult of a deputation which had waited upon him, suggesting that an independent chairman he appointed to preside over the proposed meeting between the Hospital Board and the honorary medi cal staff with respect to Hospital matters. Strong exception was taken to the suggestion, and one speaker referred to the deputation which had waited upon the Mayor as an innominate body. The members of the deputation, whose names appear below, have since met and have passed the following resolution : That the members of this deputation of Dunedin citizens beg to thank his Worship the Mayor for placing the suggestion in regard to the appointment of an independent chairman for the joint committee of inquiry in reference to Hospital matters before the Hospital Board, and regret that the board did not see its way to consider favourably a proposal which was put forward with the sole object of facilitating the work of the committee and restoring public confidence. The members of the deputation, bearing in mind the fact that the committee of inquiry in question is a combined one, consisting of members of the board on the one hand and of members of the honorary medical staff on the other, can see no impropriety in the suggestion that the deliberations of such a joint comraitte should be presided over by an independent chairman possessing special medical qualifications, and they regret that their benevolent intentions have been misconstrued into an attack on the conduct and privileges of the Hospital Board, and still more that the action of his Worship in forwarding the views of the deputation, and Associating himself to some extent with them, should have been similarly misunderstood. Tire members of the deputation have always realised that the efficiency of the Dunedin Hospital and the promotion of public confidence therein is the common objective of the Hospital Board, the honorary medical staff, the permanent staff, and the citizens in general, and as representing the last-mentioned they venture to suggest that no good purpose can bo served by taking offence whore no offence is meant, or hy quarrelling by the way. The responsibility for the present investigation rests with the Hospital Board and the honorary medical staff, and if the former declines to share that rosponwith an independent chairman, the public can only in the meantime reserve its judgment.— Jno. B. Waters, Thos. M. Gillies, A. Ibbotson, T. Glendinning, F. M. Shortt, R. J. Kilroy, 11. Harris, E. PL, Lough, P. L. Halsted, J. Sutherland Ross, C. W. Rattray.