TREATMENT OF THE NURSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1916, Page 5

TREATMENT OF THE NURSES.

To the Editor. Sir,—T am not a nurse nor have T any connection with the Hospital, official or otherwise, nor have I ever been an inmate thereof, but I know a little of the inner working of the same, and would like to express my admiration of and agreement with, your article in this morning's (Wednesday's) paper. If there is one class of female labor more limn another, to whom we should take off our hats, ir is the nursing profession, and I think the majority of us do respect and I'old its members' in the highest honor. Their work is hard, sclf-sacrilieing, and in many cases of a repulsive character. Their hours are long and ther remuneration is a mere pittance. But I am sure that the pecuniary side of their troubles is the one that troubles them least. They render skilled and cheerful assistance, and, as. far as the probationers are concerned, do housemaid's labor for a nere fraction of a housemaid's pay. In return they should certainly have proper accommodation botli as to sitting and bedrooms. Is it conducive to proper discipline that the probationers, who have to take their orders from the nurses and sisters, should in their oif time have to occupy, on terms of equality, the Mime sitting-room with them? If they do not mix on terms of equality, can either class be at their ease? N'o doubt the chairman thought he had scored a point when he interviewed the probationers who bad signed the petition, and, by practically holding the threat of dismissal over their heads, obtained the withdrawal of their signatures, but wore they not perfectly justified? It is Irue, "If they didn't like it, they could leave it," but did it not occur to him, that a young lady, having embraced a profession, may be in love with it and anxious to continue in it, and yet be dissatisfied and justifiably so, with the conditions under which she has to work and be desirous of improving them? As to the ealifont, does the chairman not know that during a mountain wind it is a constant source of anxiety to the staff owing to the flame blowing into the room, that it is surrounded by wood, that the lire escape, also of wood, is close to it, and that should a fire tatce place both would probably ue destroyed together. There are other matters connected with the management of the hospital on its commercial side to which I should like to draw attention, but I have already written at length and will defer them until another opportunity.—T am, etc., VIATOR.