270 A Short History of Nursing A great impetus to nursing progress and, to hos- pital development as well was given by the appoint- ment (1895) of a trained nurse, Mrs. Grace O'Neill, to the position of assistant inspector of hospitals and asylums. In New Zealand all these institu- tions belong to the government. Mrs. O'Neill, English-trained, had unusual wisdom and tact. Her chief. Dr. MacGregor, was equally sagacious and progressive. Between them they brought about a Nurses' Registration Act in 1901, the first such act in history, for the South African registration of nurses, to which we shall presently come, was part of a medical act. New Zealand also registered midwives in 1904, and provided for them a very thorough course, which registered nurses are encouraged to take. Dominion organization, the publication of a journal, Kai Tiaki, and international relations have been fostered by Hester Maclean, who succeeded Mrs. O'Neill as assistant inspector of hospitals. New Zealand gave the first example (1898) of a voluntary system of an eight-hour hospital day, and, later (1909), of a compulsory eight-hour day for all pupils in training, by act of government. This has been much criticized, even condemned, by nurses themselves, under the older view that a
