AUCKLAND ST. HELENS HOME

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 4

AUCKLAND ST. HELENS HOME

SYSTEM OP ADMINISTRATION CRITICISED.

(press association teleodam.)

AUCKLAND, July 10. Mr J. H. Bradney, 'M.P., was i*resent at a largely attended meeting of tlio Auckland Watersido Workers' Union this morning to discuss tho system ot administration prevailing in connection with St. Helens Home. 'Mr J. Collett, who presided; said Mr Bradney had been invited to attend in order that he should ho mado acquainted with tho experiences of tiie wives of working men present who had applied to tho institution.

Mrs Emily Nicol was called upon to gouerally state the case for the Union, i •She said that tiie first caso she desired I to bring under Mr Bradney's luotico ! was. that of a member's wife. This woman lived" within tho tramway system, and her home was easily reached. She could not leave her borne to go into the institution because there were six little children. All that she nnd. asked was that a nurse should bo sent to her assistance. tSho had offered to pay for a cab if a nurse were required at "night after the cars had ceased running. Assistance in hor caso was no* granted. The second case was that of a woman in Freaman's Bay, who had ten children and could not leavo them. In hor case, also, help was not forthcoming. iSho also complained that cases were not admitted early enough; for tho comfort or safety of tlio I patients. , j •Several workers in parte of I the hall roso and generally c.ndorseU Mrs Nicol's statement. . i Mr Naylor : an officer of the Union ; executivo. said there wero 1100 mem- j hers of the Watersido Workers' Union, 1 and the matter was of great importance to them. ' . I Mr Bradney said that if, JJrs, Nicol j would supDly" him with particulars of j the caso of*the woman residing at; Kingsland, he would at once telegraph l to tho Minister in Chargo of Hospitals, j and ho would bring tho whole matter before Parliament. A resolution was carried, protesting against tho system of administration adopted in connection with tho Home. The matron of St. Helens Home, when ; informed of the outcome of this morn- • ing's meeting, said that the first thing ■ that had to bo remembered was that • the work at tho institution had trebled , aud tho strength of the nursing stalf had remained tho same. It had been found necessary to make it a rule that nurses should not go out beyond the penny tram section, and in tho institution itself they found that they had . really moro work than they could do. j The particular caso mentioned at Kingsland was ono in which the matron had informed the woman that tbe j nurses were so busy that it was only ; in ca<*es of emergency that they would : go beyond the penny tram limit, and the woman had replied that her husband was trying to get a house m tho city This woman had previously been , confined' in St. Helens Home and 3 not paid the fees due although that fact bad not been allowed to count against her on this occasion.