"SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS"

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 6

"SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS"

HOURS OF ASYLUM ATTENDANTS.

A SUCCESSFUL PROTEST.

A good deal of adverse comment in regard to the hours which asylum at-: tendants , are .required to work was made in the House of Representatives when the estimates for the Mental Hospitals were under consideration last night. : • - "

Mr. Hogg,- M.P. for Masterton, stated thlt he ' had heard that these' institutions were unable to keep their attendants for any length of time. The cause, of this was, he believed, long hours, the way they wore,treated, and the inferior pay for the work they did. They were on duty from 6.30" a.m. to 5.30 p.m., and from 6.30 a.m.-to ,8.30 p.m. on alternate days. .At Seacliff, on coming off . duty on the long days, they , were not permitted to leave the buildings. They wore under a great strain. At Seacliff they had 'to dine m a large hall, and the pandemonium was not conducive to a good digestion. The; testimony, of patients was .taken : against that of the attendant,; and the latter had no right of appeal, and was often refused the right, of reply, The. maximum salary was £1-10, with a free house and no rations. r There was. no inducement for the best men to join or to remain; in the,. service, and he thought the attendants were to be pitied. It was an inhuman position for men to be in, and should not be tolerated. i.' '/., '■■ ■■: In the course of his reply'.the Hon. D.. ,Buddo said .every possible consideration was given to attendants; at -the .mental hospitals, but it. was impossible to give them that freedom. that- men in other occupations had. An effort was made to ease them at' particular times-' as far as possible.. Ho would look further into the question raised. ' Mr. Davey (Christcburch East) thought "Mi:. Hogg. was mixing up pro-, bationers with attendants. ; There'.-had been ho-, complaints'; from- the.; attendants :at;Seacliff for ailong time.'; :Theattendants' .there said, their petition now was Heaven compared to the Hades; it was a few years ago. Mr. Hogg : then moved that tho total vote for mental hospitals should be reduced, by £1 as ah indication that the' hours of attendants should be shortened. He said ..the reply;of the; Minister was. not satisfactory. ; The attendants certainly got a yearly holiday, .but. he was assured that if they did not get it they; were apt to become patients' themselves. - New . Zealand was wealthy enough to give a fair, wage for a fair day's work and the energies ;'of .the at-, tendants, should- not. bo overtaxed. . - Several other. speakers'- remarked on the hardships under which tho attendants laboured. . In the course of a further reply tho Hon.; D. Buddo said the attendants had a long, and a short week. They worked 11 hours one day and something: over 13 the: next,; making practically a 12hour day. They had, 28. days' annual : leave, one day off a fortnight;. and one and a half Sundays off per month.. As far as possible, the - hours and general conditions would be considered fairly and reasonably. 5

Mr. McLaren, M.P. for; .Wellington East,. worked it 'out that i the attendants worked 3988.. hours .a. year, or slightly over 7.6 hours a week. .General labourers would .not submit to "such ■treatment. It ,>vas' simply outrageous and nothing short of disgraceful that, ■we should allow such a :sta'te .of .affairs, to exist. -. ■'.• ■ ■!.. ■ : , !'• On a division Mr.' Hogg's motion to reduce' .the voto by. -£1 was carried by 32 votes to • 20. , ..