TREATMENT OF NURSES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 26, 30 January 1919, Page 8

TREATMENT OF NURSES

Sir, —I !-.notice you have selected one .subject for publication out of my article on the laches of the Defence Department because, presumably, you submitted, it to'the authorities before publication, and knew so little about the subject that you selected their ipse dixit as conclusive. Kindly allow me space to show how unfair the Departmental reply is: They do not acknowledge that my statement was right at the time I obtained the facts, the first week in November last, and that their matrons, sisters, and nurses were getting from 25 to 12 per cent, less pay than the Australians, but answer that "now" the rates hay been' 'raised—to ■• date from April last! Why not from the commencement of service? Then there is a long rigJ m3rqle;'?tbout^the.,''proniotion grievance" ■which ;the department says "originated in Egypt." The Department knows quite well that "it is not a question of promotion at all. These girls went Home as Sisters, they were the first appoiuted, their efficiency is undoubted, and they were not only all reduced in rank for [ a year, but girls junior to them in appointment were promoted over their heads. More than this, they were not even told of' their reduction in status, but were allowed to ascertain it when calling.. for their pay !, The bunkum of 'stating-'.that' "it was hardly fair to Sisters in the New Zealand Service that they should be graded below those who had received promotion in the Imperial Forces through shortage of nurses, but who had hot" the same length of service ' as-'thia''New -Zealand Sisters." Goodness knows what the "official quarters" are driving at. The Sisters I refer to had the greatest length of service, they were in the New Zealand Service, and yet they were reduced in grade and in salary for twelve months at the whim of the Defence Department. However, the matter will not be allowed to rest here, but some of the Sisters coucerned intend to find out whether the members of Parliament and the people of New' Zealand are going to do them justice when they return. In conclusion, just a word about the reference to it being hardly fair to grade those in the New Zealand Service below those who had received promotion in the Imperial Forces. Let me give an instance of the real attitude of the Defence Department on that point. A New Zealander went Home, joined the English' forces, after eight months' service was promoted to Major. He was then' transferred to the New Zealand Forces as Major with seniority over officers who had four and five times his service! And that was done by this Department which is so virtuous over the promotion of nurses.—l am, etc., FRED. PIRATtt. 27th January.