AUSTRALIAN NURSES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3051, 12 April 1917, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NURSES

THEIR WORK IN INDIA. While on a visit to India recently the' Hon. Victor Nelson Hood, private secretary to tbe Governor (Sir • Arthur Stanley), investigated the conditions tmder which Australian nurses work there, states an Australian paper. In his report to the-Minister for Defence (Senator Pearcc), Mr. Hood states that he visited hospitals at Bombay, Seoundcrabad, • Poona, Luckuow, Peshawnr, and Rawalpindi, where there, are now 190 nurses employed. Before proceeding to these centres Mr. -Hood interviewed the chief lady superintendent at Delhi, from whom ho ascertained, after discussion of improved pay arrangements, that action had been taken, to ensure exemption of Australian nurses serving m India from payment of local income tax, while with a view to removing the posibility of unpleasantness arising from the varying conditions of the nursing services of Great Britain, India, and Australia, it had been decided as far as possible to ooneen trate Australian nurses under their own matrons in separate hospitals ( or, where that course was not entirely feasible, to send small groups together. At Delhi aiso Mr. Hood interviewed the Indjan director ot medical services, who expressed himself as thoroughly satisfied with the work of the Australian nurses. The general opinion, Mr. Hood says, is that there is nothing to prevent Australian nurses serving in India throughout the year. Most of the nurses are in Bombay and suburbs, as that i 3 the port of disonibaykation of the sick and wounded, but at Poona and Secunderabad the climate is healthy. Tha nurses are in good hoalth and spirits, and contented, though the majority of them are looking forward to the time when they may ba moved to Europo for active service. The conditions of service are very good. The nurses have six -weeks' leave on full pay per annum, and receive railway concession fares.