DOCTOR’S RESIGNATION!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 296, 16 December 1942, Page 4

DOCTOR’S RESIGNATION!

REGULATIONS IGNORED CASE FOR MANPOWER COMMITTEE (P.A.) Auckland, Dec. 15. The case of a doctor who left his employment with the Sunnyside Mental Hospital (Christchurch) without gaining the sanction of the Christchurch district manpower officer came before the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee. Appellant was Dr. J. C. D. Macky (Mr. Hubble), who was formerly assistant medical officer at the Sunnyside Mental Hospital and who had left there and bought a practice at Helensville. He appealed against the manpower officer’s decision in refusing to release him from Sunnyside. Dr. Macky said that, prior to starting in practice in Helensville last March, he had been for 16 years in the Mental Hospital Department. While in Helensville on sick leave last February he was approached to take over the practice of Dr. Farquhar Matheson, who was the only resident practitioner there and who suffered from ill-health. Dr. Matheson had unsuccessfully tried to obtain assistance, and appellant, decided to leave the department and take over the practice. He did not anticipate any difficulty over his release. When he returned to Christchurch on March 15 he tendered his resignation and two days later was advised that, Dr. Matheson having broken down in health, Helensville was without any medical practitioner. There were patients in the hospital and the position was urgent. He immediately sought the manpower officer’s permission to leave Sunnyside and departed for Helensville on March JB. “At the time T left the department none of the medical officers was hard worked and. except for odd occasions, normal hours were worked,” said Dr. Macky. “All leave was granted as usual. I agree that there is a shortage of attendant staff in the Mental Hospitals Department, but it is not. the case with medical officers.” Contending that, he was of more service to the public as a doctor in Helensville than in his former position, Dr. Macky said the town had a population of over 1000 and there were 1500 to 2000 additional residents in the surrounding districts which he served. The nearest doctor was at Kumeu, 15 miles away. About March 23 appellant received a letter from Dr. T. G. Gray, Direc-tor-General of Mental Hospitals, refusing to recommend his release, and as appellant was still on leave he continued as Dr. Matheson's locum. When his leave expired in April he bought the practice, and it was not until May that he received the manpower officer’s refusal to release him. The chairman, Mr. J. O. Liddell: “In February your work was declared essential and you must have realised that there was some reason for that declaration, but you, as second in charge at the institution, took it upon yourself to put in your resignation and then ignore the regulations by leaving, contrary to the manpower officer's decision.” Appellant: “Yes.” Fun her evidence was given by Dr. M. S. Harris, of Kumeu, and Mr. K. A. Snedden, a member of the Helens* ville Town Board, both of whom stressed the need for a medical practitioner to take Dr. Matheson’s place The case will be finally decided by the Christchurch Manpower Committee, which will receive the evidence and a report from the Auck-