CO129-441 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [1-3] — Page 218

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To The Right Honourable

The secretary of State for the Colonies.

sir,

215

I have the honour to Enclose for your consideration the copy of

correspondence which has passed between me and the Colonial Secretary here

as the representative of His Excellency The Governor, and seeing that it is

impossible for me to obtain justice for myself locally. I regret that I

am compelled to appeal from His Excellency The Governor to yourself in the

hope of obtaining suitable redress.

The matronship of the Government Civil Hospital has recently fallen

vacant, owing to tue retirement of Miss Maker, and Sister sloan several

years my junior, in the service,has been appointed matron.

The only reason the local Government has given for passing me over

in favour of a junior is that her official qualifications are superior to

mine.

y letter to the Colonial secretary here dated January 17th which forms

part of the enclosed, shows this statement to be incorrect, and the refusal

of H.E.The Governor to supply me with a copy of his despatch to you, obviously reporting adversely on me and my claims,absolutely prevents me from having any opportunity of defending myself.

I have been in the Government service here for nearly 14 years and have never hitherto, so far as I am aware, been adversely reported upon in any

respect.

The conditions of work at the G.C.H. are of a trying character, owing to the climate, and during the last few years, owing to the shortage in the staff of Nurees for the duties to be performed, the strain of over-work has been felt by all of us.

I very much regret that I can only suppose from the secrecy in which these proceedings against me are enveloped, that the fact that I acted as spokeswoman at a meeting of Sisters held at Government House to explain their grievances in July last, may have something to do with the present injustice.

Sister Sloan was perhaps (fortunately for herself Junable to attend as she was suffering severely from boils due to over work.

it is possible also (though I am guessing absolutely in the dark) that

I may have incurred some odium, owing to having during the last few years