OUR HOSPITALS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 48, 13 February 1945, Page 4

OUR HOSPITALS

Sir, —Our nurses arc over-workeci owing to shortage of staff; the cause —insignificant inducement to pros_pective nurses is offered. The hospital authorities cannot afford to offer more, and what, they can afford is determined by the funds available to them. Our Minister of Health says nothing against this system and is therefore a party to putting the nurses on the level of the slave. Clearly this is a matter that could be put right if the monies were .available, but as the State has no control over the money supply (except by taxation) the health officer is forced to be a party to sweating. Over working comes "about because of shortage of staff; shortage of staff comes about for want of sufficient inducement to attract efficient service. Accommodation, and other amenities' for the nurses provides no problem whatever on the basis of our material resources, but the humour of it } these resources can only be utilised according to the funds available. No funds, no accommodationj no amenities!. 1 The absence of buildings and other necessary things is* not peculiar to the war period either. I can remember some few years back, when we had no manpower difficulties but we had thousands of unemployed because there, was no money to pay them for working. Instead of tack-, ling the real obstacle—finance the Minister of Health has begn content to hold conferences. Can he deny that what is being asked for is physically possible and entirely reasonable? If it is lack of finance then let him join, with us to expose this bogus obstacle. Has he heard of social credit and what has been accomplished in Alberta and otherparts of the world? Does he know that the Editor of the London Times was forced by events to admit that by taking the advice of so-called experts- we have gone from one calamity to another, and that Ave are facing j'et another by marking time? Ask your local councils which foot they are going to step off from—■ Monetary Reform or Debt in Per-. :ietuity?

Yours etc., W. BRADSHAW.