596
better can only have been tolerable for the sake of annoyance
In consequence I am compelled to bring the following complaint forward for the consideration of His Excellency
The Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital has for long past been wanting in ordinary courtesy in his bearing towards me, but the last few months he has been so unwarrantably offensive in his manner and in offence to decorum before the subordinates of the Hospital that it cannot be overlooked.
Whenever I met him in my morning visit to the Hospital when he chooses to be present, I am received with a sullen and discourteous demeanour; any questions I may ask receive the briefest and curtest replies; I can obtain no reports of the cases admitted to Hospital or of events that have happened during the previous day in that establishment; I am never informed of any operation that is made or performed or in fact of anything that occurs in the Hospital.
Only a few weeks back on my arrival at the Hospital, I found Deputy Inspector General Dr. Beatty, the civil surgeon and a military surgeon called in to consultation on a case in the Hospital which the Superintendent had not caused to be brought to my notice and this is not the first, by many, that such a thing has occurred.
Under such circumstances I am bound to decline any responsibility for the proceedings of the Superintendent with the exception of forwarding his letters to Government. Many of them are as unnecessary as the enclosed; in every way it is possible I decline any recognition of him as the Head of his Department and his petty annoyances and excessive discourtesy are now quite unbearable.
These frequent complaints concerning his being overworked, and his being allowed private practice (such complaints notwithstanding) are, I believe, the cause of his ill-humour and discontent. Your Excellency is aware that they have been frequently made in the last few years and latterly have been incessant. A Commission of Enquiry was appointed to consider these complaints and decided them to be groundless. The Superintendent's remarks on that decision, calling for Your Excellency's disapprobation, sufficiently betray his ill temper and insulting manner to those with whom he disagrees.
I am sure that his conduct is doing such harm in his department, for it is impossible to expect his subordinates to conduct themselves properly when they have such an example set them as his behaviour to his superiors, which is subversive of all true discipline.
I should have brought this complaint forward long ago on account of his treatment...