MAORIS AND NURSING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 240, 16 November 1909, Page 4

MAORIS AND NURSING.

"TOO AIUUi TOADVlXti.'' Mtosrs. J. Ik Jai'k. • Nati '"' A".-ul, a.nd Air. W. U. Sk.iuiei i"i«ard- ,.,| the fnlllnvinj; leller t" the Tarauaki Hospital and Chaiilalile Aid Hoir.l yesterday: "On liehalf i>l the .Maoris resident in this district Wfi 1, 0 .r to address the following hater for vo !,r eousideratioa. The Ouyerumciit i,a.s appoittU'd Agnes llei, <il ilw East Coast, a .[iialjliu-cl norse. to attend, to cases of iiekness amongst the llaorri of Taranaki. Miss llei will have her headquarter* in Xev, I'lynioulh. \\« understand that siek .Maoris are availing ' Ihemselves of the pul.lie hospital here in inerea-sing luiinliers; and the diflieulty is often experieueed at the hos|lifal ill arm-in" at a. mutual understanding lietwen tne ii■ i~'|>it:ii stall and the patient or the patieul's visitors, owing to the Maoris' lack of knowledge of the English language. We suggest, therefore,' llr.il. \uu might take into consideration' the piopriclv of always having- on your; nursing stall at least one Maori probu-i tioner." The immediate advantages that/ iioulil ill our opinion, aeerue from the I a,|„pl.ion of our suggestions are-(l) An iiK-reasing number n' Mauri girls would I l.e trained in nursing for work ainong-t I .their ,pi«»|ile. We may ihcre remark | that there esHI- a crying need fori skilled nursing amongst the natives of Taranaki. parlieul illy in regard to children's troubles. 12) The presence of a. Mauri uu viiiir niirsiu- stair wnuid al once overcome any diflieulty that now exists with Aluori piitieiiis and visitors in regard to interpretation of their language into ours, and vice versa: ami without any additional eost in the administration of the institution. There can be no question a*' to the qiialilicafions and suitability of many Maori girls for the position of probationer. If any doubt, did exist as to the advisability of appointing any girl who has not'been educated at a college, then (hat doubt could easily be dispelled by looking lo anv of the Maori CirU' CnlI leges for the applicants. The I raining Maori "iris receive at the Victoria. [School for Maori (lirls, Auckland: the lliikarere Sebool, Napier: mid the Turakina College, Ttirakina, fully qualifies them if or the position we would like to see made available to them."

The chairman, Air. Bellringer, said that the Board was- always prepared to accept a suitable Maori probationer on the nursing staff.

Several members remarked that the Maoris were certainly using the hospital more. But ,they contributed nothing by way of taxation, and very seldom paid tlieir accounts. If Air. .lack wanted his Maori patients in the hospital, why didn't he guarantee the ax-counts?

Mr. Andrews said that most of Wie Maoris were as wel] able to pay as any niembor of blie Board.

Mr. Harvey: There's a lot of Ihad payers amongst them, and I think Mr. .Taelv ought to guarantee their accounts. Mr. J. Brown ventured the opinion that Mr. .lack had that power. The chairman: My opinion is lliat the Maoris are getting toadied to too much.

Mr. Sullivan: Thev're not like the Cliiiniineii, Thev always pa v. The seendnry said that, amongst some, of the Maoris there was an idea of "no cure, no pay." If the Hoard couldn't cure, then it seemed to them fair that there should be no charge. The chairman was requested to make enquiries and'report.. The name of Aliss Isabel M. Alexander, of Ohristchurch. was added to the list of .applicants for probationcrships.