TO HELP THE SICK.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14908, 5 March 1914, Page 3

TO HELP THE SICK.

a DISTRICT NURSING- ASSOCIATION. EXTENSION OF ITS WORK. The Christchurch District Nursing Association, which has been in exist-1 ence in this city for many years, and has done exceedingly good work under the superintendence of Nurse Maude, in looking after the welfare of the sick and suffering poor in Christchurch and sub-. urhs. is about to begin a new chapter j in its history. Since it was organised j in a very small way many years ago, it has lelicd altogether upon voluntary contributions, thank offerings, and Church oifertories, and at the present time is controlled by a committee 01 nine ladies and gentlemen, who represent various religions bodies, and has a staff of threo nurses and ono probationer Last Year its revenue from ail sources was just over £500, and the whole of this was expended in nurses salaries, rent, telephones, drugs, etc. For some time past it ha* been felt that the work done by the Association should icccive sou.c Government subsidy, and negotiations have been proceeding'with this object in view, and matters aro now arranged so that from \prii Ist next the Association continues its work on a different basis. Tho woru is to be extended, and is to cover a wider area, wriich, of course, means that a larger statf will be required. The new arrangement wnu-h has been come to :s somewhat as follows:—The city and suburbs are to be divided into two parts, each worked by a nurse, an | assistant nurse, and a probationer, tno j whole of the work to be under the supervision and direction of Nurse Maude, j The appointment and control of tno [ staff is to remain in the hands of the 3 Christehurch District Nursing Association, and a report of the work is to be sent into the Hospital , Board monthly or quarterly, as may be necessary. The Association is to receive from the Government a subsidy of -4s in the £ on its ordinary income. The Association is to attend for some time on patients who may be discharged from the Hospital to make room for other patients when specially required to do so by the Hospital authorities. | i"nder the new arrangement, tho i staff of the Association will consist of j one superintending nurse, two 6enior | nurses, two junior nurses, two probationer.?, and one office attendant, and this number may have to be increased before very lone. The committee of the Association is of opinio'i that, seeing its work is the relieving and assisting of the sick and suffering poor, without any enquiry as to the religion they profess, it shouhl receive assistance "rem the Churches of all donon-inations. a«. ihf- work it ■loos is essentially of a Christian character, and later on the Association will tako sten"-; tn bring this mattPr under the notice of the various religions holies, in order to see whether some financial assistance rnnnot be given seeing that every £1 eiven voluntarily to the funds of th* Assotvntion with it the Government subsidy of 245. j