HOURS OF NURSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 May 1929, Page 10

HOURS OF NURSES.

ONE DAY OFF IN SEVEN. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. a . [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, "Wednesday. The Minister of Health, tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, is a firm believer in the principle of nurses having one clear day off in seven. Replying to a deputation from the Wairarapa Hospital Board to-day the Minister said: "I am not going to be a party to working any man or woman scvkn days a wook, especially in one of the noblest of professions where the women have to make such sacrifices. I think it is the bounden duty of the Dominion to see that tho conditions of this splendid service are made as amenable as possible. It is our duty to the nurses and to tho patients." He would bo signally failing in his duty if he did not do his utmost to improve the conditions under which the nurses worked. Speaking of the work done by members of hospital boards the Minister said ho admired it and the decisions of the hoards had to bo respected. The local point of view might sometimes bo a bit coloured and boards sometimes tried to do things for their particular districts which were something beyond the capacity of tho country, thus needing the application of the brake, but there was no desire on the part of the Government to oppose any legitimate enterprise once a thing had been demonstrated to be necessary. The efficient conduct of the hospital had to bo considered.