HOURS OF NURSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 8

HOURS OF NURSES.

ALLEGATIONS IN PARLIAMENT,

THE AUCKLAND HOSPITAL,

" FOOD FOR STAFF A DISGRACE.**

THE WAGES OF PROBATIONERS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Thursday.

An allegation that nurses in the Auckland Public Hospital were being worked as long as 12 hours daily was made bv Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour—Roskill) in the House of Representatives this evening.

Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour-j-Avon) had appealed that the Government should do nothing which would result in reducing the wages of probationary nurse 3 below 6s lid a week, which, he contended, would occur as a result of the clause in the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill reducing local body grants for salary payments. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes: That is a matter for the hospital boards.

In supporting Mr. Sullivan's plea Mr. Richards said nurses were being worked 10 and 11 hours daily. \

Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, ex-Minister of Health : What hospital ?

Mr. Richards: Auckland. Mr. Stallworthy: No, they 'work 8j hours there.

Mr." Richards: I say they are worked 10, 11 and 12 hours. I ought to know, as my daughter is a fullv-qualified sister working in an operating theatre at the Auckland Hospital. Mr. Stallworthy: She must have been working overtime.

Mr. Richards: The hon. gentleman has condoned that sort of thing. There is also the question of food at the Auckland Hospital. In many instances ths food given to the staff of the hospital is a disgrace.

A Labour Voice: Skimped. Mr. Richards: That docs not describe

Several Labour speakers challenged the Prime Minister's statement that reduction in salary was a matter for the hospital boards and claimed that such a step would be an inevitable result of the proposal in the clause. It was alleged that a threat to withdraw the subsidies from the boards had been made when the 10 per cent, cut w-as imposed last year. "Tell the whole story," called Mr. Stallworthy when Mr. J. O'Brien (Labour—Wcstland) was making such an assertion.

"That is the whole story, and I have letters with the ex-Minister's signature to prove it," retorted Mr. O'Brien.

UNQUALIFIED DENIAL.

MR. WALLACE SPEAKS OUT*

INQUIRY INTO STATEMENTS. '

Surprise at the allegations made by Mr.' A S. Richards, M.P. for Roskill,-wsi expressed last evening by Mr. iW.'Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, when the statements regarding nurses' food and working hours were referred to him. Mr. Wallace said the charges were contrary to fact, and he did not think that such statements should be made by a member of Parliament without a full knowledge of the circumstances.

"I give an unqualified denial to. th« contention that our nurses are being ■worked as long as 12 hours daily," he commented. "As a general rule, and in accordance with tlie rules of the Hospital Board, our nurses work only eight hours a day. This is the normal position." Continuing, Mr. Wallace said that nurses were required to work longer periods only in the case of an emergency, and he considered that any nurse worthy of her position would not object to being asked to. do longer service under such circumstances.

The hours worked in the theatre over a period of two weeks averaged nina daily, he said. This had to be done in order to give probationary nurses in their fourth year of training proper experience in the theatre. Mr. Wallace also saifl that Mr. Richards' daughter was'not a fully-qualified sister working in the theatre, but was a fourth-year probationer. The board adhered closely to its policy of an eight-hours day throughout the hospital, with an allowance of ft day off each week. , ; - Mr. Wallaco considered that it most unfair for Mr. Richards to suggest that the food given to the staff was, in many instances, a disgrace. The hospital authorities had very definite standards for tho food supplied to the members of their staff, and he could say with certainty that there had been 110 lowering of th® - quality or supply, in spite of retrenchment and the board's difficulties. Tho standard had been excellently hiamiained.

Mr. Wallace further expressed Iris intention to inquire into the statements in the House cf Representatives more fully. The remarks made, in his opinion, would have an unsettling influence on the staff unless they were shown to be contrary t© fact, as they were.