ST. HELEN'S HOMES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 6

ST. HELEN'S HOMES.

DO THEY FAIL? POLITICAL DEVICES AGAIN. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Christchurch,'July 21. Some iucjuivics as to the extent to which tho St. Helen's Hospitals are carrying out tho purpose lor which they were founded hnvo been mado locally by a member of (he staff oi'lhe "Press." The impression which he gathered from an interview with several medical practitioners was that in some degree tho St. Helen's Hospital R oos wills of its original mark. Hie actual training of the nurses appears to bo satisfactorily efficient, but there was some criticism of the logulations which require premiums from nurses entering tho institution. For training, a pupil nurse who .is registered under tho -Nurses Registration Act, 11)01, pays a premium of .£lO for six months' training, and, in all other cases, .£2O is required for twelve months' training. The pupil nurses must also provide themselves with the books and outfit considered necessary iii l s , tlu!ies a,u, IVol k' 3t is conteiuieil that the financial obligation imposed on pupil nurses is frequently an obstacle in the way of suitable young-women adopting tho profession of obstetric nurse. In view of the demand for the services of mimed midlives, the demand lor a premium is regarded as a very left-handed kind of assistance tu make the Ripply equal to the demand. As lar as the Christelnirch 'institution, is concerned no complaints have l>een made, regarding: tho hours worked by tho nurses. J no most important question was whether tile bt. Helen's Hospital served tho class -the necessitous poor—it was intended to serve. On this aspect of the case there were aeuto differences of opinion.