WATCHES FOR NURSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 November 1942, Page 2

WATCHES FOR NURSES

GOVERNMENT IMPORTATION. CRITICISED BY MEMBER OF hospital BOARD. At today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board, the Department of Health advised that difficulty was being found in obtaining watches for nurses, and stated that arrangements were being made to import a supply. Mrs S. Fletcher entered a strong protest against the Government’s action in importing watches. The Managing-Secretary, Mr Norman Lee, was authorised to obtain up to 30 watches for resale to the nurses. Mrs Fletcher contended that the Government was introducing Socialism under the guise of war conditions. She said the jewellers could not import watches because the Government would not grant them a licence, yet the Government intended importing watches. Mr Lee said local jewellers could not supply watches, and their prices were too high. Mrs Fletcher: “That is because the Government won’t let them import them. It is not fair to local jewellers.” Mr J. F. Thompson: “It is a case of ‘the watch on the Rhine.’ To get a watch today you have to join the nursing profession.”