NURSES’ SALARIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 32, 17 November 1943, Page 2

NURSES’ SALARIES.

ASHBURTON BOARD’S ATTITUDE. CRITICISM AT OAMARU. OAMARU, Nov. 16. A circular letter from the Ashburton Hospital Board, opposing proposed increases in nurses’ salaries, was criieised at to-day’s meeting of the Waitaki Hospital Board, which subsequently decided favourably, to consider the proposals which emanated from the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association.

The Ashburton board’s letter, forwarded to all hospital boards, stated that it was strongly opposed to the attitude of the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association about salary rates for the nursing service, and expressed the opinion that the executive did not truly represent the interests of hospi-, tal boards in the Dominion. “The spirit shown by the executive is not in accord with the principles of stabilisation, nor in the best interests of the country,” added the letter. The Ashburton board also enclosed a copy of a letter on the subject it had sent to the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association, in which it called upon the executive to justify further revision of nurses’ salaries in view of the fact that the association had sponsored a scale of salaries for nurses as recently as 1942. Mr N. H. Colquhoun said he took strong exception to the Ashburton board’s letter. The proposals of the executive of the Hospital Boards’ Association represented an honest attempt to bring about uniformity in the salaries paid to nurses, and in accordance with the classification of the various hospitals. With the inauguration of such a scale, anomalies, no doubt, would arise, but the general tendency would be to place the nursing service on a basis that would be thoroughly justified. The increases would increase the financial responsibilities of hospital boards, but it had to be remembered that other sections of the community, too, had to face increased responsibilities. “If we adopt the proposed scheme,” said Mr Colquhoun, “we will ensure a reasonable standard of living for our nurses.” He moved that the board should favourably consider the proposals of the Hospital Boards’ Association executive. The motion was seconded by Mr H. C. Jeffrey, who endorsed the views expressed by the previous speaker. The chairman (Mr J. Rodman) said he was not going to criticise the Ashburton Hospital Board, as the question was a domestic one for each board. It would be preferable, however, if the matter could be discussed at the annual conference of the Hospital Boards’ Association, where it could be thoroughly discussed. The conference could then go to the Government with a stronger case than that of just a few hoards.

Mr Colquhoun’s mdtion was carried and it was also decided to have the question discussed at the hospital boards’ conference next year. It was decided to support a remit (sponsored by the Otago Hospital Board) recommending the payment of grants to nurses who may contract pulmonary* tuberculosis in the course of th,eir hospital duties and also in respect of any other infectious disease so contracted. The remit will be discussed at the hospital board’s conference.