NATIVE NURSE QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 127, 22 October 1914, Page 3

NATIVE NURSE QUESTION.

(FURTHER Ad'POINTJu^T The native nurse question caused a discussion that took up considerable time at the meeting of the Taranaki Hospital iieus-d yesiurday. At last month's nueoting Nurse Muir resigned as native n/urse, and some remarks by Mt Maxwell on the appointment of a native nurse wore evidently misinterpreted, and appear 10 have caused 1 a stir in certain quarters. Considerable correspondence by Jvuisu Aluir an'd Mr ■Mcßeyuolds was read, as, well as a letter from K. T. Feavcr, who spoke in Jiigh tenuis of ihe good work done by the nurse, particularly among native children, many of whose lives would have been lost in the recent epidemic but Jor her attention.

'■ Mr Macßeynolds defended the necessity for the appointment of a native nurse. i It wag far more economical, he con- ' sidered, to employ a native nurse than to tiroat the natives at the Hospital. He produced figures which he alleged /showed that the Board had little to eomplain of cm tllie score of expense. He went at length into the efforts made to secure a house for the nurse, which proposal had been turned down by the Inspector-General. Regarding 'the ctoßt of up-keep, he aaid that all the natives he had conversed with were in favor of allowing a portion of their rents to bo deducted toy the Public Trustee- for the purpose of defraying the cost of the nurse. The Maoris had by contribution of funds and men done tbeir share ia ithe present crisis equally with iUhc Europeans, and Qie thought they deserved consideration in other ways. The chairman stated that the Board could noti purchase the Opunake cottage without tho sanction of the InapiutorGencral, unless the members of the Board wished to be made personally liable- for the amount of ita cost. S'teps were being laken to obtain a site at Cpuiiivka There was strong opposition by the l'olice Department to the transfer of the Prison Reserve, but it miight be possible to secure an Education reserve. Mr Maxwell said that there was no warrant for the assertion that lie had made any insinuation against the work of tli L . nurse personally. -Miss Muir did good l work. There was nothing underlying wlhut he fcaid. Aa a member of a nubile body he was of opinion that the appointment of a native nurse was not warranted, and that had been turned round to mean that he had made reflections on -the work of Miss Muir. His opinion was that the schem* had not received the support: tfhat it should have got from) the natives themselves. Miss Muir had had to travel all over the- district on horseiback, or the best way she. could, whereas if the- services ot the native nuroe had been appreciated by the natives concerned', the leas>t >tliey could have done was* to-, have Ihamessed up a trap to luring her when- her scirvices were required. It was prepostcr- ■ o,l* that £1 a week should have to be paid for the u-p-kecp of a horse, and under the circwnslanccs he> thought that ; it was better to postpons the appoint- . nieiit of her successor until some more j complete support is given by the natives. He did net wish to see another nurse ; put to the. same inconvenience, and. said ■' ihnt Miss Muir'g action in forwarding htr resignation so ■unexpectedly was an j indication thai the scheme had not succeeded in that direction.

The chairman and several other men> Item stated that they never understood Mr Maxwell to east any reflection on tli* work of the native nurse. It was pointed out that Mr Maxwell, at last meeting, wheal suggesting the postponement, bad emphasised the fact i that the natives were all on the main i road, or within two niiilra of it. and ! were eoinpflrntiTely within ta*y reach of i a doctor, far more so than many K'.:<w- | Jieafls. Mr MfillPTjiolds later in th,i dar inoTed that, tlie Health Department bo j request'ddi to appoint a Maori nurts L . for the Taranaki Hospital District.

Mr D. McAlhim seconded. The resolution was carried without fliscussion.