In preparation for the opening of the new hospital in Newtown, the role of the 'house surgeon', now to be known as the Resident Surgeon, was redefined.

Reproduced from the New Zealand Mail, 6 November, 1880, p18c

courtesy Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of NZ,
                    Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa

"The rules and regulations to be observed in the new hospital have been drawn up by Dr Diver and the Town Clerk, who carefully adopted them from the rules of other hospitals.   They have been printed and will be ratified and adopted at the first full Council meeting after the return of those councillors who are now in Melbourne.   The new rules are pronounced by those competent to judge to be well calculated to ensure the good government of the hospital, and before being passed they were submitted to the honorary medical staff for revision and amendment.   It may be mentioned here that the new warders and nurses appointed consequently upon the late inquiry are reported to be acquitting themselves satisfactorily, and that the general management and efficiency have been greatly improved since the resident surgeon has had full control of the internal government of the hospital, and therefore the evils that have hitherto existed, and which have at intervals culminated in incidents almost amounting to "scandals", which will never recur - and of this, at least, everyone will be heartily glad. "

The "late inquiry" referred to arose out of complaints made by a hospital nurse alleging that the 'Lady Superintendent' (Matron) and steward (Magill) were often drunk, that Dr Gillon swore at her (the nurse), and that a patient had been mistreated.    The City Council held the inquiry, the proceedings of which were extensively reported in the 'NZ Mail' during September, 1880.  Despite being supported by testimonies from two warders, the nurse's allegations were not upheld by other staff members and several patients.  The nurse and the two warders were dismissed.  However, the inquiry did highlight a lack of satisfactory internal administration of the Hospital.  An extract from a statement made by Dr Gillon at the inquiry, and reported in the NZ Mail, gives a fascinating insight into the operation of the second Thorndon Hospital  toward the end of its life.