ASKED TO RESIGN

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1933, Page 3

ASKED TO RESIGN

MATRON OF HOSPITAL. ; y r CHARGES MADE BY STAFF. ' ‘ ; Waihi, Feb. 12. The inquiry by the Waihi Hospital Board into complaints by ex-members of the domestic shift and other employees at the hospital, who alleged unfair treat- ’ ment bn the part of the matron, Miss K. .'.'.i Stevenson, was resumed last evening, , the chairman of the board, Mr. T. Jowsey, presiding. ' When the inquiry was opened on Jan- ,i uary 31 the board, after hearing certain complaints, adopted a resolution ing the opinion that the want of tact and ; realisation of the medical superintendent and matron as to their responsibilities as V ;?,- heads of the institution, was the cause of thq trouble. An adjournment was grant- \ ed at the request of counsel for Miss . ’ Stevenson to enable the matron- tp -/y furnish a complete answer to the charges brought against her. ;-. Ip a lengthy statement to the board last evening the matron denied practically the whole of the charges and stated that in the majority of. instances the parties concerned had refused to carry out her orders and had replied in such hostile and disrespectful terms that for the good conduct of the hospital the only course open to her was to give a number of the staff notice of dismissal. After discussion the board, by four votes to three, adopted a motion calling - on the matron to tender her resignation on or before Tuesday. ,/ • ■ Mr. J. F. Robertson expressed the opinion that the superintendent, Dr. L.' R. Hetherington, should also be asked, to resign. He moved in that direction, but failed to find a seconder. '■ - ? ; Counsel for Miss Stevenson, commenting on the board’s decision, said' that yesterday the chairman had called on ?•;. him with the object of discussing the possibility of the matron resigning, but he had had refused to discuss the matter. .■/>, In the morning, said counsel, he-had been informed that Mr. Jowsey had in- . terviewed the matron on the subject without consulting him as her legal ad- ’. viser, and had, he understood, suggest- . r ed to Miss Stevenson that she would be < acting in her best interests if . she tendered her resignation. _ This, counsel « contended, was a very improper act on the part of the chairman. . \ Mr. Jowsey admitted having called on the matron and said that while he had not actually asked her to resign he considered he was acting within his pro- .. vince as chairman of the board and in Miss Stevenson’s best interests; in dis- . cussing the position with her. After further passages between, counsel and the chairman the matter of the .. chairman’s visit to the matron was not pursued further,