HOSPITAL BOARDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 111, 1 July 1911, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARDS.

ADMINISTRATIVE DEFECTS. THE “HAT-PEG” MEMBER! A mote of absolutecandour was struck'' by Dr Valintine, inspoctorGenoral of Hospitals and Chief Health Officer, in Jiis address to members io f' Hospital Boards, at the conference sitting in Wellington on Tuesday. “Tlio chief difficulties,” he said, “lie not so much in tlie Act as with the actual administration. To begin with, many of the boards are too:large but, that, I freely admit, is largely the fault of the Department, which in the early stages of the Act, thought it advisable to make the representation as wide as possible. Again, the boards have not, in my opinion, taken sufficient advantage of the powers given by section I, with regard to co-operating with persons for service on committees, and thus obtaining the energies of those prepared to devote a considerable time to the study of the several problems connected with public health, institutional management, and charitable aid. “It would be far better,” continued Dr Valintine, “for the boards to have the- assistance of such co-op-erative members for work on their committees than the perfunctory services of what may be called the ‘batpeg’ member of a hoard —the member who rushes into every meeting late, apologises, hangs up his hat, wants to know the business before the board, criticises the report, of some painstaking member or committee, makes some sensational statement, and when order has been restored, leaves the meeting to return a month- later to repeat the same performance. We do not want these ‘hat-peg’ members, and it is to be hoped that the electors will, if 1 may so put it, ‘tumble to their game.’ However, I feel I am getting on dangerous ground,. but 1 am sure that delegates know exactly what L mean. I have never failed to appreciate thegood and solid woVk so conscientiously done by many- members of boards. In fact, when I know members to be neglecting their business for the sal'o of the public, I am almost ashamed to draw their attention to other matters than those of the merest routine.” \