H.—3l.

SECTION VTT.—INSPECTION OF PRIVATE HOSPITALS. Co-operation between the licensees and the inspecting officers of the Department has been most helpful in maintaining a reasonably high standard of efficiency. Without the co-operative spirit on both parts the benefit of the inter-change of ideas between the licensee and Inspector is impossible. 1 -im pleased to say that in most cases the relations between Inspectors and inspected is excelle 1 . The main difficulty has been the introduction of the hours of work regulations for the nursing staff, a necessary provision to prevent the overworking of nurses, both registered and unregistered, which'in some cases varied from sixty to seventy hours per week with no days, off. The average forty-eight-hour week with one day off has required an increase of staff by 20 per cent to 25 per c< . in the larger hospitals. In the smaller hospitals of under ten beds, m country districts, in which an increase in the permanent staff is economically impracticable, and where relief nurses are not pliable, the difficulty of providing for regulation hours and the day off per week lias been considerable, and I wish to record my appreciation of the attempts made by licensees to overcome them. It is pleasing to put on record the statement of a licensee who had some diffic,ulty m efi ect to the regulations that the staff were much happier and more contended since they had been made effective. Acknowledgment . I again wish to acknowledge the very helpful co-operation of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society and its vCTyrordial relations "with the' Department Without its h J -1 Jat medical obstetricians and obstetrical nurses, particularly the hcensees of hospitals. but little accomplished towards promoting maternal welfare. Lo those mentioned abo v< y officOTS in the Nursing Division Ld the Medical Officers of Health and other staff who have so ably seconded my efforts, I extend my sincere thanks. T. L. Paget, Director of Maternal Welfare. •

12 —H. 31,

89