BENEFITS FOR NURSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1926, Page 9

BENEFITS FOR NURSES.

PRIVATE HOSPITAL STATUS. NEED OF SUPERANNUATION.. » GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Lost Night. Speaking in the House of Representatives this afternoon Sir George Hunter urged on the Government the necessity of extending the benefits of superannuation to nurses in private hospitals. Recent legislation, he said, had brought nurses in publi«»hospitals under the scheme but an extension, he suggested, should be made so that nurses in private employment should be able to continue and get the benefits of the scheme. Sir George contended that there was no section of the community which was more entitled to sympathetic consideration and he hoped the Government would go into the question in the recess. “Nurses went to the war and served right through, and because on their return they joined up with private hospitals they are deprived of the benefits of superannuation,” said Sir John Luke. "It is a very uniair position that women who made sacrifices in the interests of humanity should be penalised because they did not join up with hospital boards.” “I think every returned soldier in the House will support the request that the Government go fully into the question of nurses’ superannuation during the recess,” said Mr. W. 8. Glenn.

Replying, the Hon. Downie Stewart said that the question of providing superannuation for nurses in private hospitals presented a more difficult situation than that of making somewhat similar provision for nurses in public hospitals. He would be glad to consult the Minister for Health on tjre subject during the recess. He was not sufficiently conversant with the position to say more than that at the moment.