Nurse Reinstated

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 522, 27 November 1928, Page 7

Nurse Reinstated

Hospital Board’s Decision Reversed How Was Letter Revealed ? ON condition that she apologises to the matron, Miss E. Taylor, Nurse E. Blackie, who was recently dismissed by a special committee of the Auckland Hospital Board, for writing to a prisoner in Mount Eden Gaol, has been reinstated in her position.

’T'HIS was decided at a special meeting of the board last evening, when the case was fully discussed in the presence of Miss Blackie. Some pointed questions were asked by members regarding the method by which the letter forwarded to the prisoner by Miss Blackie was made available to Dr. Maguire. It was stated that a breach of the postal regulations had been committed in the letter being shown to the hospital authorities without the consent of the governor of the gaol. After Nurse Blackie’s statement had been read, Mr. A. M. Laing asked if the letter to the prisoner had been forwarded officially to the medical superintendent by the gaol authorities. Dr. Maguire said the letter had been shown to him by a person from the gaol. Mr. Laing said it was evident there was a leakage somewhere. Was there no secrecy in regard to letters when anyone should he able to hand this letter to the hospital authorities without the sanction of the governor of the gaol? Mr. S. J. Harbutt contended there was no justification for a private letter being broadcast. Certainly, the police and gaol authorities had a right to censor any letters going to. the prison, but they could not justify the contents being made broadcast. Mr. M. J. Savage said the person who placed the letter in the hands of Dr. Maguire should be traced, otherwise the hoard would only be wasting time in discussion. Mr. J. Dempsey: I do not think the board has any right to act on that letter at all. Whoever sent the letter from the gaol to Dr. Maguire was committing a breach of the postal regulations. The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace,’ said if it were thought that Dr. Maguire had no right to bring the matter before the board the matter should end there. Mr. Savage: We have a right to know where it came from. Mr. J. Rowe: I do not think it is for us to question how the letter was revealed. I understand the gaol authorities will be asked to go into that question. Whoever Is responsible for the letter getting out will be brought to book. In answer to a question by Mr. Laing, the matron said she had never stopped Nurse Blackle’s leave for staying out one night. Miss Blackie: Yes, Miss Taylor. I was sent before you, and you stopped my leave for one day. Mr. Laing said if her leave had been

stopped that was the eud of it. She could not be punished again for the same offence. Mr. M. J. Coyle said Miss Blackie admitted she was guilty of an indiscretion in the letter, though he did not think it was such a terrible .thing in what v/as supposed to be a private note. “The nurse only said the matron was ‘soft,’ ” he said. “If • she had called the matron a ‘hard old thing,’ I suppose the matron would have taken it as a compliment.” said it would be a serious thing to blight the nurse’s life by dismissing her. The board had been the victim of circumstances and could well retrace its steps. Mr. Savage upheld this suggestion. Mr. Dempsey said a wrong impression of the case had been gained. The nurse had a perfect right to correspond with the prisoner every day if she liksd. Mrs. E. A. Kidd said loyalty was a nurse’s duty to the institution she served and she considered Nurse Blackie had been wrong in violating her trust. On the motion of Mr. Harbutt, seconded by Mr. Coyle, it was decided to rescind the previous motion dismissing Nurse Blackie. Mr. Coyle then moved that she should be reinstated on condition she made an apology to the matron. This was carried unanimously. “I am sorry the nurse was dismissed without a hearing,” said Mr. Wallace. “I thought the matron and Dr. Mf.guire had spoken to her and she had explained the position, but it appears she had not made any explanation at all.”