DIRECTIONS TO “SEAVIEW”

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1945, Page 4

DIRECTIONS TO “SEAVIEW”

STATE EMPLOYEES LIABLE. Women employed by Government Departments in the Grey district, who, during the war, have been exempted from receiving the attention of the Manpower authorities when the question of staffing public institutions was considered, are now available for direction to essential services, and it is probable that a number will, in the near future, re-r ceive directions to report to the Hokitika Mental Hospital for employment as probationer nurses. This is consequent upon the revocation at the end of last month of the declaration of essentiality in respect' to a large number of State Departments, one or two branches of the Public Service still being regarded as in the essential category, though the early revocation of the remaining declarations is under consideration. Tliis morning the Manpower Officer, Mr. G. G. M. Mitchel], stated that already some 27 women _ from Greymouth Government offices in the 21 to 29-year-old group, - have received- notices ordering them to report to the Manpower Office this week for interview with a view to determining how many-can be directed to work as nurses at Seaview. Included in this number is the only eligible female employee on the staff of the National Service Department (Manpower Division), who will be interviewed to-morrow. All women directed to the hospital will have the right of appeal. GREY HOSPITAL DIRECTIONS. The sequel to the dismissal of appeals of two Greymouth women against direction to the Grey Hospital as domestics, which was ordered by the Christchurch Industrial Manpower Appeal Board at a sitting at Greymouth, last Wednesday, is rather ironic, for the next day, by notice in the Gazette, the essentiality of the Grey Hospital was revoked, and, accordingly, nothing could be done to implement the committee’s decision and the directions were withdrawn. No further directions can now be made to the Grey Hospital, and all directions which were pending and under consideration by the Greymouth Manpower Officer have been dropped. It is understood that the essentiality of hospitals was not to be removed until the end of February, but the Director of Manpower recently stated that in cases where the hospital desired the revocation of the order, that would be done. The Matron, Miss N. Moffat, stated to-day that she knew nothing of any application for the cancellation of the order.

The most serious feature of the revocation, as far as the hospital is concerned, is that any of the women directed to the hospital as wardsmaids or nurses since 1942 can now leave and return to their previous employment.