SALARIES OF SISTERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 549, 12 March 1913, Page 6

SALARIES OF SISTERS.

AT THE WAIKATO HOSPTAL. The reading at the last meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board of a letter from Miss McFarlane, tendering her resignation as sister at the hospital, ana asking to be relieved of her duties at the earliest convenience of the board, caused considerable discussion. Dr Sorter said that owing to the fact that other hospitals paid higher salaries their sisters were automatically drifting out as fast as they were trained. Mr Boddie moved that the house committee go into the matter and report to the next meeting of the board. If they were to keep their nurses they would have to pay rates equal to ihose ruling in similar institutions. Mr Dickinson said he had recently conversed with a sister trained in Wellington, who had refused to accept a position in the Waikato Hospital at £6O per annum, as she had been previously been drawing £7O, The training at the Waikato Hospital was equal to that which could be obtained anywhere, but as -loon as the nurses got their tickets they drifted out. He seconded the motion. Dr Gower suggested that to save time the secretary be instructed to ascertain the rates paid at other hospitals.

The ghairman pointed out that in any case the question of salaries was gone into at the end of every financial year

Dr Gower said that Dr Douglas had asked him to convey a message to the effect that he had been thinking over the matter and he would like to have it fixed up by the time he returned. Th motion was then formally carried. TCOUNTRY VISITORS TO. THE HOSPITAL. Dr Gower reported that the medical staff and nurses had considerable trouble with country visitors who came frequently from a, long distance to see friends or relatives on days other than those fixed as visiting days. It seemed heartless tn turn them away, as they really did not appear to know what the visiting days were. Mr Dickinson moved that circulars be sent out to relatives of country patients setting out visiting days.— Carried.

For the information of such visitors it may be stated that the visiting days are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 2 to 4 p m. and for country visitors only on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1.30 a.m.