BUSH NURSES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 18

BUSH NURSES

FARMERS' WIVES HELPED

Delegates from many North Island branches of the Women's Division ot the New Zealand Farmers' Union, met last week in St. Andrew's Hall, Hastings, for the Bush Nurse and Housekeeper Auxiliary meeting. Mrs. J. C Wickham (Dominion vice-president) presided. At the present time the division hat a staff of thirty-five capable housekeepers employed throughout the Dominion! These\ housekeepers are sent out to women on the land, the employer paying lhe full wage where she can afford to do so, or help being granted from tho "Community Chest Fund" where necessary. No deserving call for help is icfuscd, and it is only by the generous donations of branches that this work is carried on. The Dominion secretary reported that sinco April forty-five engagements had been filled by tho housekeepers in the following districts:—North Auckland, 1; Waitemata, 2; Thames Valley, 5; South Auckland, 3; Waikato East, 2; South King Country, 1; Northern, Hawke's Bay, 2; Wairarapa, 5; Wellington Central, 7; Manawatu, 3; Hutt Valley, 1; Marlborough, 2; North Canterbury, 1; Mid-Canterbury, 1; Southland, 4; North Taranaki, 1; Wanganui, 4. Ono nurse had been engaged ia South Auckland for a maternity case in the bjack country, and one sewing woman controlled by headquarters liad been kept in constant employment. At the present time several tewing women were engaged by branches helping country women with the family sewing. Considerable discussion took' place regarding the travelling expenses of sewing women, and a recommendation was sent forward to the Dominion conference to be held in Wellington on Jnly 12, 13, and 14. ' "' Several applications for assistance wero granted by the meeting, the following being typical of _thb cases dealt with: One bian'ch reported- that _ maternity nurse "was required for a district where it was special!.* desirable that the patient1 should not have* te travel a long distance "to' the hospital. Tho employer was' able to 'pay' only 10i I a week, and the division • paid the balance of the nurse's fees. In another case a branch was interested in a" woman m tho district who was affected as the result of an accident. The division made a 'gr.-int towards travelling expenses and medical examination at the nearest hospital.