English Girls Said To be Unsatisfactory

Chronicle (Levin), 9 June 1948, Page 3

English Girls Said To be Unsatisfactory

AUCKLAND, June 8. Members of the pupil nurse aid group have proved so unsatisfaetory that no further English immigrants will be brought to New Zealand for this type of work. The niatron-in-chief to the Auckland Hospital Board, Miss W. Delugar stated in a report received by the board, that she had received this adviee from the Director of the Division of Nursing, Miss M. I. Lambie. Miss Delugar 's report disclosed that "of 24 English immigrants assig'ned to. the Auckland Board for pupil nursing training since last August, 12 had left. One girl left the day after she arrived and another did only three days' duty.', Of 1.1 immigrants assighed to Cornwall Hospital for nursing aid training since October, four had left. "After questioning the various immigrants before they left, I have f'ormed the opinion that in manv instances they had no intention of doing nursing woi-lt for long after their arrival in New Zealand," stated Miss Delugar. "When pressed for their reason for not continuing with nursing duties, some were perfectly frank and admitted it was the quickest wav to get a passage to New Zealand. Others preferred to blame conditions and disillusionment for their not continuing. In all instances the reasons given by this group were trivial and wliere a grievance existed it could have been easity rectified," she said.

There were six immigrant pupil nurscs in the last assignment, stated Miss Delugar. Tliev joined tlie staff between Mareh 11 and March 14. They worked in the hospital until April 2 when they were transferred to the preliminary school. That was neeessary as a elass was in progress. Text books, slioes, stockings and all the usual issues were given to the immigrants. Three left the school on May 5 and the fourth returned to thc hospital until Mav 9, as it was not convcnient for the National Employment Service to place her until May 10 and she required to have somewhere to live. A report from the personnel officer stated that of 28 immigrants appointed to the domestic staflf of the board 's institutions sinee August 25, sevon ha'l left. The supervisors rcported that the girls were good workers but some were liomosick. The personnel eommittee which had eonsidered the reports, stated it was very pleasing to l>c able to report that the girls who had remained on the stalT were of a very good type and were doing oxcellent work.