NURSES’ DUTY SHOES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 239, 6 July 1944, Page 6

NURSES’ DUTY SHOES

Position Described As Desperate

A meeting of the National Council of Women discussed the Government’s scheme for distributing duty shoes to nurses. Asked to give a report on the position, the secretary of the Registered Nurses’ Association, All's. A. Donner, stated that when the matter was discussed with the Aliuister of Supply on April 17 an assurance was given that the opposition of the .footwear trade to the scheme had been overcome, and that shoes were being manufactured at the rate of 675 pairs a week, and distribution would commence in the middle of July. Since then circumstances had occurred which had given rise to doubt. The Nurses’ Association had been informed that Air. A. R. Mclntyre, officer in charge of the footwear fitting division, had terminated his connexion with the division. The Nurses’ Association had been concerned at this turn of events, since the nurses’ footwear scheme was an extension of the armed forces’ scheme, so successfully planned and directed by Air. Mclntyre, who had also shown keen interest in the footwear needs of nurses. It was feared that circumstances resulting in his resignation might be_ prejudicial to the nurses’ scheme. Statements made at a later date by another officer of the footwear lilting division, when he bad spoken of difficulties with manufacturers and other difficulties which might delay the commencing date of distribution, hud tended to confirm this fear. Two letters bad been written to the Alinislcr of Supply at a ninc-day interval, requesting his assurance that, irrespective of administrative changes in the division, the nurses’ footwear scheme would progress satisfactorily as promised. So far no reply had been received. The position regarding duty shoes was now desperate. A resolution was adopted that if the Nurses' Association did not receive a satisfactory reply from the Minister within the next few days the Dominion executive of the -National Council of Women should be asked to appoint, a deputation to wait on the Prime Alinister on his return.