MENTAL HOSPITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22985, 14 September 1936, Page 10

MENTAL HOSPITALS

WORKERS’ HOURS REDUCED MINISTER EXPLAINS POSITION QUESTION OF FARM WORKERS (Per United Press Association'' AUCKLAND, Sept. 12. The hours of work for the employees in the mental hospitals of the Dominion will be reduced, according to a statement made by the Minister in Charge of Mental Hospitals (Mr P. Fraser) in an interview to-day. The Minister said that, owing to the exigencies of the service, it had been an exceedingly difficult matter to arrange, but fortunately the cordial assistance of the Public Service Association had been forthcoming. Mr F. Millar, general secretary ot the association, had visited the main mental hospitals and discussed with the staffs a scheme which had been practically unanimously adopted, and every effort was being made to bring the reduction into operation on October 1. The arrangement would involve a long day and a short day alternately, with every third day off and every sixth month off, the result being that the staff would work 413 hours per week spread over the working year. These hours represented the total reduction which could be effected immediately owing to the limited accommodation, and ensured that, as far as the patients were concerned, no mconvenience would be caused, but that in various ways their care would be improved. . A further reduction m hours would necessitate using the accommodation at present necessary for patients—a position he was anxious to avoid. It was of vital importance that overcrowding of patients in the mental hospitals should be reduced, and until this difficulty had been overcome it would not be possible to provide the extra accommodation which a further reduction in hours would necessitate. . Referring to domestic, artisan ana engineering staffs, the Minister said the hours of work would ba reduced to 40 weekly, as no practical difficulties stood in the way, and this would bring them inte line with workers of the Public Works Department and others in similar employment. Concerning the hours of farm workers, the Minister stated th#t the present hours of duty were approximately 52 weekly, with 14 days annual leave, plus the statutory holidays. The position in reference to these workers was being investigated with a view to achieving a reduction, and a definite announcement would be made as early as possible.