MAORI GRILS AS NURSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1877, 14 September 1918, Page 3

MAORI GRILS AS NURSES.

DISTRICT HOSPITAL BOARD FAVOURABLE. At Thursday's meeting of the Palmers'ton District Hospital Board Mr Hornblow said that while he was in Rotorua recently, he had had an interesting conversation with Rev. Bennett, whose work among the Maoris was known from one end of the Dominion to the other, regaining the training of Maori girls as nurses. At the present time probationers for nurses had to pass a certain educational test, but they would not be accepted as probationers until they were 21 years of age. There were, however, a number of fine young Maori girls who obtained the school qualification at 15 or 16 years of age, but then the (rouble was that they had to wait till they were 21 years of age. As a result, many of the Maori girls went back to the kaianga, and the chance of getting their services was gone. The girls had nothing to do between the time they left school and when they became 21 years old, and in the meantime many of-them got bade to the “mat.” There was an opening for doing good work for the Maori race by allowing (he girls to receive their (raining at a younger age than 21, and" the speaker considered that something in this direction should be done. He suggested that the Minister for Public Health should be asked if some specially selected-Maori girls could be taken as probationers at a lower age than 21. Mr Bramwell said that the same remark applied also to European girls. Mr Hornblow said that the environment of European girls was different. Mrs Crabb said that an association with which she was connected had discussed this question, and knew that a number of nurses were required for work amongst the Maoris. She thought that it would be a splendid plan if Maori girls could be trained as nurses and sentout for work amongst the Maoris. Mr Nash said that previously they had two Maori girls in the hospital, and they turned out to be excellent nurses, and one of them was afterwards sent out on important work. He thought that some l thing should be done by the Government to deal with these Maori girls. He moved that Sir dames Wilson and Mr Hornblow prepare a remit for the next Hospital Conference, urging (he Government to take the matter up. Mr Penn seconded the motion, saying that he knew from experience of the good work done by a Maori district nurse in the Otaki district. He considered that Maori girls would make excellent nurses at the age of about 18 years. The motion was carried unani : mouslv.

Common)ing on the above, the Palmerston Times says editorially: —“lt has been going: on for a very long lime now, (ho more shame lo all concerned. Maori hoys and Maori girls have boon given the advantages of civilisation and of such a measure of education as is possible in a young country like this, and then (hey have been east adrift amidst the flotsam and jetsam of the pahs. To the boys this policy has been exceedingly harmful; to the girls fatal. Mr J. Horn!)low revived the question at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital Hoard. On the authority of one of the lew consistently ardent and devoted friends of the natives he asked that pressure should be briught to bear upon the authorities to enable Maori girls when they leave the European seminaries to immediately take up nursing work. The suggestion was agreed to. We hope that the executive of the Board will go further and make it a matter of urgency. Unfortunately little is to be expected from the Minister ‘representing' the Native race, but if the Hon. G. W. Bussell can be persuaded to fake the. Maori girls under the wing of the Health Department much may be accomplished. This is a matter in which the different women’s organisations could profitably bestir themselves. That the Maori girls should be allowed, in colloquial phrase, to “go back to the mat’ when they are capable of adorning the ‘parlours of heaven’ is a reflection on a community in which the franchise is a common right and privilege.” The Feilding Star, commenting on the above, says if is an excellent suggestion. Inter alia, the Star adds: —“Those Maori girls who feel a call to minister unto their own people have that desire nipped in the bud because they cannot follow on with hospital work after leaving school. There being a wait of four or five years before they can qualify for nursing, they either marry or go back to the indifferent habits of the pa. We think there is an excellent ease for a special regulation to meet the need for providing Maori nurses for the Maoris, and the Minister should grant facilities under which Maori girls can go right on from school to hospital. The Board did the right thing in giving instructions for a remit advocating the idea to be sent on to the conference of' Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. But Minister Bussell might be urged fo think the matter out for himself, without delay. The need for native nurses is urgent.”