DR ST. L. H. GRIBBEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20707, 3 May 1929, Page 3

DR ST. L. H. GRIBBEN.

MEDICAL OFFICER HONOURED. Members of the Patients ami Prisoners’ Aid Society gathered "iu the Somerset Lounge yesterday afternoon for the purpose of meeting Dr and Mrs., St. L. H. Gribbcn for the last time prior to their departure from Dunedin. Dr Gribben, who has held the position of medical superintendent of the Seadiff Mental Hospital for the past three years, is about to leave for the North Island. Dr T. W. J. Childs, who has been appointed to succeed Dr Gribben, and Mrs Child?, were among the guests. Dr Childs was formerly medical superintendent of the Tokonui Mental Hospital at To Awamutu. About 20 ladies nad gentlemen attended the function, and after light refreshments had been served, several prominent members of the Patients and Prisoners’ , Aid Society delivered brief addresses, during the course of which they paid a high tribute to the .work carried out by Dr Gribhou. Mi A, E. Rosevcar, chairman of the committee who presided, read apologies from Sir George Fenwick, Dr Thomson, Mr D. E. Theomiu, and several others. He said the object of the gathering was to bid farewell to Dr and Mrs Gribben. The Patients and Prisoners’ Aid Society took a deep interest in that side of the work A'hich Dr Gribben had represented at Seaoliff. Since Dr Gribben had been appointed to Scacliff the society had come in closer contact with the patients in the institution. Dr Gribben had been a great help to the society. On behalf of the society ho expressed bigb appreciation of the kindness and courtesy at all times shown by Dr Gribben. The society extended a welcome to Dr Childs, and the committee felt mrc that he would show the same interest in the work and extend the same courtesy to the society,. Mr D. Todd said the committee had appreciated the interest that Dr Gribben had. taken in the society. With the assistance of Dr Gribben they bad been able to do a great deal of good for the patients. They were sorry the doctor was leaving Otago, but they all wished him every success. Mr W. L. Logie, also paid a tribute to the courtesy shown by Dr Gribben and the Hospital staff at all times. Dr Gribben said the society by the interest it had taken in the work of the Seacliff Hospital, had made things much easier for him. One of his greatest regrets was the severing of his connection with the society. It had been the society’s offer of practical help that had assisted him materially, and that practical help had had some bearing in the way of assisting patients to regain n place iu civil life. , The society, he was sure, would receive the hearty co-opera-tion of Dr Childs. Dr Gribben concluded by saying that he knew of no society whose work was more generously done, and the help given by the society had meant a great deal in lightening his work at Seacliff. The secretary of the society (Mr F. G. Gumming) said that in bidding farewell to Dr Gribben he was losing one of his staunchest friends. The valuable assistance which Dr Gribben had rendered to the society was highly appreciated by the members, while the social workers particularly would not forget' the help he had given them by means of bis lectures. The new superintendent (Dr Childs) said that all who had had dealings with the patients, knew that, provided they had friends they would be successful outside, but that if they had no assistance the odds against them were too heavy. There it was that the co-operation between the medical superintendent and the society was of such importance. He would therefore endeavour to do all in his power to sustain that co-opcration which had existed between Dr Gribben and th> society in order that the results during his term as superintendent would not fall far short of those achieved by his predecessor.— (Applause.)