THE MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 3

THE MENTAL HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

— « WORKING CONDITIONS. ' LONG HOURS AND LITTLE PAY. Tho conditions under which mental how pital attendants are required to work wero brought under the noticc of tho •Minister for Public Health (the Hon. G. l'owlds) by a deputation of members "of Parliament yesterday, . Mr. Witty stated that the retiring, ago for superannuation (05)' was too high! A man could not enter tho service until ho was 25 years of age. That meant 'tlmt ho had to remain 40 years in (ho service. Prison' warders woro better "treated than' asylum attendants. .In. the. case of tho latpr the work was frequently dangerous. Prison warders got two pairs of boots a year, an overcoat every, third year, and a house allowanco of ,£3O. Tho' asylum attendant got none of these things, [Then :th,9y worked long hourS._.At presentihej worked . 12! hours per day , for 251) working '.4?s' s > and !)'■ hours SGumijMitcs por-dayd'or tjjp wholo 365 days .TJFTISo yoaf.~'Agaiif they wero liable to. bo called on at any .'hour of the day or night,. The work .wais of such a character that' very few people cared to take it up. . Mr. J. Bollard, M.P., endorsed what. Mr. Witty had said. In tho caso of tho Auckland institution, ho understood that 'the hours per week worked totalled 711. Something should ha done to shorten tho hours, and increase the pay. . Tho'Minister said that ho was a good deal surprised at the resolution passed in tho Houso last session, when ho was' absent. During'tho few years that the men-

tal hospitals had been under /his control a good deal had been done to reduce tho working. hours by increasing holidays ai d

timo oft'. Further, in January, 1809; tho salaries of male attendants had .been in- ' creased by .£7 10s. per annum, and thoso of nurses .by £5 per annum. A groat portion of the hours was anything . but y arduous. -Mr. Witty: "All the worse for the at— j -t'en'lnnt." i ! . '. .[ The Minister denied this. When watclilr inj: a' cricket match, for instance, tho [j attendants... wore on', duty. Frankly, ho ,f wanted to reduce the hours, but the figures j ,put forward gav? a wrong impression of the hardship of the work. He knew that. .. the great majority of the attendants would j prefer to liayo tlio hours reduced by intimo oil' and different periods. Mr. Wittv's statement- included meal hours. He (the Minister) to j give the matter careful consideration. When tho classification, of the Public Scrn yioo was under review, tho matter would . be attended to, nnrt the b"st efforts would be made to increase tha leave of mental , jj hospital. attendants. Mr. W. H. F:'eld, Kpeakin:: particularly for tho Porirua attendants, said that tho railway service was such' that the attendants could not make tho most of their leave. The regulation again't mental lies- • ! piial attendants approaching the memb=r ' of Parliament, for .their districts should , bo revoked. It was quilo obvious that it 3 could not be enforced. It was a fair thing J for any constituent to approach his member. ■ .The Minister said ho knew of no .-such , :• prohibition. All that was required was ■> i .that complaints wore.to bo made through . the sunrtintendent. , . . ' Mr. Field agreed that complaints should ] first be placed beforo the proper authori- ' ties. . Mr. Davey said complaints won id bo madi io members despite all the regulaI 1 inns in the world. Mr. Field also said he was strongly of ■ opinion that lliero should bo an appeal board for attendants. Mr. Fowlds said in such a case ho • would bo very sorry for. tin- patient*. The mcdicnl superintendent lnd to liave powers. In the interests ■of '■ humanity no ono ought to advocate an appeal board in these casss. -