HOSPITALS BILL

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 679, 2 December 1909, Page 5

HOSPITALS BILL

THE SECOND READING. Tho ATTOIOTA'-GEMIKAL moved the 6ocond rending of tho .Hospitals and Chantablo Institutions Bill. He said tho measure was a 'real and importaut adranco ou previous legislation It contained an honest effort to odd something moro to tho solution of tho groat problem of pjverty. In point of population thoro was much less poverty in New Zealand than in Great Hntam. The bmdon of c\pondiluro on hospita's and charitable institutions in Neir Zealand was, however, steadily increasing, and -would continue to increase. "Whilst the population had increased b\ 88 ,jct cent, the cqst «t horpitals and charitable /sistittitioii'i had increased by 97 por cent. He £awld lika to point out also' that the Govern

went.; subsidy had' 'increased appreciably, .as the following 'figures would Sliow :-f l'JOli-07, v£lU,l3i;: WO?^,. .£128,93!); and 1308-09,:,£1.(2,058. The increase in the expenditure in connection-with such, institutions should impress,-. oh■■'all'tho xecessity-:for' exer-cismg.everj-degree of-economy, care, 'andprudence iii the. mlministration'., :of • those large funds. - Unfortunately, it had been found that there was not .the disposition: among wealthy people to help public-institutions that- might nave-beon,expected, and this-was in part; re-' sponsible for the-present proposals. It -was uiitair that the willing man should bear all »w I? ' . and *•»'■ tUonch it was regrettable that the'voluntary principle had declined-in tavour, they had to,rely more and more upon a. compulsory system. The most important changes,were in the. abolition of separate: institutions, in .-the provisions for direct, election of .boards, and in connection with the granting of subsidies. It was his opinion that tho boards might wisely appoint committees' of t.hree ; olasses,.Tiz., an-institutional committee, a committco of social welfare, and a committee on : public health. When the .Bill was before the. Committee, several- amendments'.would bo introduced.-He.did not propose to ask that-the Bill should bo sent to a,Select Committee; If that wer^done,;the,Bill might not pass this session. There.was special reason why the Bill should, be- mauV law as soon as nossible.i If it could.be. got through by next Monday/the elections provided for could be held this year.

Wellington Hospital. r ; ..,' ; The . Hpa. J. E. : JENKINSON (Wellington) intimated that he -would move'several 'amendments .-in . Committee. He declared. that the- hospital 'examinations- for nurses were .-too;, difficult, 'also that the nurses Y???-' not .G 1 ™ sufficient all-round, training. Although it had been denied, it was a fact that one of: the nurses at the Wellington Hospital bad-had an impertinent remark, made-to her by one of the, trustees in the course of her work. Then, agaiui there was the.case of the nurse ;.who, : it was alleged, had succumbed to illness owing, to; the fact that she had been kept at: work, when she was not fit to. do-it. The operating theatre was tho blue riband for -.the nurses,: but complaint had been made to him that; one. nurse'; at anyrate had been kept at. that;work for more than the regulation period,-'to tho. disadvantage of other nurses. ■■■ The Hon.,C.;.M. Lukb: There is a complaint book; and'nurses : may' complain to the visiting trustee's.',.- •:■.■,:■..'' '.■ ■' :, : . '.' ; : "■- > Mr.'Jehkinsbn said that complaint had been .'he .did not: believe in it—that- the Wellington. Hospital Trustees were inclined to economise 'in' connection with" the working of the .institution.by.pariDg.down the.food bill at the Nurses'; Home. , : - ■•The'Hoa.'Mr.-.Lukei-lt'isnot so. :••■''.• :■■■'• ■■■ .".During; the course of further remarks Mr. Jenkinson \ said that • the, first■"twelve. months' for a probationer were occupied.with work similar ,tp-that-given; to-a rouseabout in-an. hotel. •'■ , ■Members:: No/;no.-. •'■:'.■'„'.'•'• ; ■ ,:.;.;.:.... : ..;Mr. Jenkinson: It is nothing■■• more .than' scrubbing,; cleaning, polishing, and dusting. The: Hon.- Mr.: iuke:, Scrubbing ' does not form.part of their.work/ : ; .::.:,.': ... Mr.,Jenkinson. contended! thaf'the hours -of nurses; especially of probationers, should be restricted. :. He ; did; notw'ant to reflect on the Wellington Trustees, for ho believed that th'ev had carried out their, duties in a fair -sort of .■way.:-;.' ; .-• y_-.\ ;-,;."";'; : '■.;■■■'■■>■ Vlews'.'ofrHpni 0. Samuel.., '.;;■•■.'.'- • -'•■..'-,'.'■■" ','iThe Hon!;O."SAMXJEL' (Taranaki):thought it would ;be; better, for ,the boards, to "be. elected tho,;.local .-.authorities :(as- at ;present), than for the election to-be in thoiandsof the elec-' tors;.; It .was,\owing to'' the ; process of selection that the United;States'had been so-fortunate in regard, to its.Presidents..' .'-.•-.-- ■■'■.;.•• ■.Dr.'iFindlayrTh'e college,is. a pure automa- ■ ton-'." i'':'.'""■• I";..- 1 .. ■-.-'." ; •. ,' : ;•':'--''!''','-; ;'.'-:.-■; ' 'Mr/'Samuel'_■ expressed the opinion!,that:the proposed' maximum number• of. members- of a board '(20) was altogether too large; -It was his ppiniou'that every encouragement should :,be given for 1 the vestablishment of private: hospitals.';; I;.;.;-;,.- :.-..i. : i- i',-''. ::;'■■''■'. ' ;"".'-i. -'' '■ - ■-,' Hon.' C/M.'.Luko Defends the Wellingtonv.Hos-':;;;pital-.TrM3tees.'!!-;:.:v.;::'-.' ''.'.■',"-.'.'• „'';••'.■'.'■■ , - ;': lie M. LTOE ; (Wellington).;said he :did : ''not think,the Bill;.^^contained.proposals for more : ;eqnitable representation on' boards:than were p'royi'ded.in;fhe.?prcseiit;law.',.,He did' not think .the'-hours.of: nurses ishould be restricted to-:.eight;per..day; as'it wbuld-.be'against the interests .of .the nurses and 'of the patients.: With respect to.'the .serious-charges which; had been made in':regard! to tbb;.'Wellington Hospital,pye.ry :"in.quiry.;would bo.made. .For. himself he wished" to .say he did noty believe them,", and from inquiries which he bad' made the' charges appearPd'.'to; be : uhfQunded.: He- had: known only'qn'e"'appeal to.-be ; made'by.'a',nurse'in the: . WeUihgtoh.Hospital ih-ten- years, and that re-.' lated to: the. question' of promotion. As regards the • nurses': examinations,:: ho; agreed 'wiffi Mr. Jenkihsbn'that they were too stiff. He ;would like to:see devised a'system under whieh'there wbuld'be ho need for both r State'and hospital oxn'mihations. t :.With .regard ..to the charge as to;!the; quality .of the f op;d -■■ at." the': Nurses'' Home*'' ihe ■• -might . say ■.-.■.: that it was '.well. above; that to ,bo'■;.' found in the: average 'home. Sorap'of ..the, provisions as ..to .submission ofplans of 'new, !buildihgs to the'; Minister: were iinhecessarily restrictive.:' The.; new.', scale -of subsidies: met. with" his ..entire ''approval. ': Remarksby! Other Spsakers.:: ;. :.' The Hon. J; ANSTET'(Canterbury).remarked that there had been, a departure from the true principle of representation., The proposed system would not result .in.the-return of '-the best men. -One of 'the'weaknesses .of!'the measure" was. in the centralisation it ...provided, arid another" that it left the amount or subsidy entirely to the sweet will of the Minister. The Hon. G.' JONES ■ (Otago) - held, that an eight-hour; day wasi, quite.: long'! enough for rinrse's. ;If. 'nurses-.worked.:longer hours they should ■ be-' paid overtime. ■ ' : -.■•'':- ■■". ;■ The Hon, W.BEEHAN (Auckland) held that the "measure -would 'make, for 'better efficiency all'TOurid. He. trusted the.hours of nurses would be restricte'd, ; also that/a hospital would not be allowed to take; probationers /unless it, ;.'posJ sessed-facilities for 'training' them !- .The' Hon. Dr. COLLINS (Wellington) heartily approved': the,. principle of the BilL He could nbt'say'too;much,in regard to the management of tho Wellington; Hospital;:- There was no doubt.that the.nurses' examinations were sometimes pretty /stiff,,-but if efficiency was required" a fairly.b!igh:standard must'be set. The public] hospitals' ;should -. be .•' for'; Jthe" sick": and' needy,' arid not"!for, those ■ who could, afford :to -■ pay. ."■> The*Hons.'J."MAßSHALL'(Westland), It; A: i LOTJGHNAN'-( Wellington),, and J. T.FAUL (Otago) .also, spoke.:. : ;.-; .. ■-. ; -^; ■ The second-reading was agreed-to, and the Council .'at midnight.: ■ :;, : ■