Nurses At High Premium

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31007, 12 March 1966, Page 2

Nurses At High Premium

Nurses today were at a high premium and worth more than their weight in gold, said Miss M. Mullen, the principal of St Margaret's College, the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony of the Christchurch School of Nursing on Thursday evening. Miss Mullen told the graduates that they were the recipients of a skill which set them aside from others and made then more precious to the community. “This skill has been achieved at much trouble by you and has been imparted with much patience by those who have taught you. When you take off your uniform for the last time you still cannot put down this gift. You will be called upon to use it in many situations and by using it you will become valuable citisens.” said Miss Mullen.

Miss Mullen congratulated the graduates for having achieved something valuable especially today when too many people something which they never finished. These were days when the young did not care to commit themselves to years of training as they felt they were selling those years away, she said. Tribute was paid to the Matron-in-Chief of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mrs M. Chambers) for her example, work, and leadership over the last 14 years by the chairman of the board, Dr. L. C. L. Averill at the Christchurch School of Nursing graduation ceremony, on Thursday evening. The ceremony was the last Mrs Chambers would attend as Matron-in-Chief. She retires this year. Outlining the progress and I

changes which had taken place during the “Chamber’s era,” Dr. Averill thanked Mrs Chambers on behalf of the board for her “splendid leadership, work, and example, which she had displayed since she became matron-in-chief in 1952.” During the last 14 years, more than 1400 nurses had qualified under Mrs Chambers and the Christchurch School of Nursing had achieved a high reputation for its standards. Mrs Chambers had always displayed a high standard of ethics, integrity, professional honesty, kindliness and thoughtfulness for others combined with a wonderful perconality and leadership, said Dr. Averill. Tribute was also paid to Mrs Chambers by the Medical Superintendent of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, Dr. L. McH. Berry.