Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1923. MAORI NURSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2645, 13 October 1923, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1923. MAORI NURSES.

THE Health Department lias written lo the Palmerston North Hospital Board asking’ that steps he taken to appoint a. district nnr.se for the Maoris on this eonsl. The local representative on the Board put in a plea for the training of Maori girls to undertake this work for the reason that they understood the nature and customs of their own people and would inspire greater confidence than would a pakeha nurse no matter how high her qualifications. Some time ago Mr Hornhlow asked that the Health authorities afford facilities to Maori girls to enter the public hospitals for training at an earlier age than European girls, provided they passed the necessary education test. His object was to prevent a break in a continuous course of training, thus eliminating the environment of the pah. The experiment was tried at the Palmerston North Hospital and not only were two Maori young women general favourites among the nursing staff and patients Imf in the examinations they were classified in the top grade of passes. There is room for two Maori nurses among the Natives of this Coast and we sincerely hope that the Minister .for Public Health will give this niattei his earnest and favourable consideration.