Staff salaries and working conditions were a constant preoccupation in the early 20th century, especially as it became harder to recruit nurses and attendants. The Retreat had to try and keep pace with staff conditions in state asylums and in other types of occupation. There were various Retreat sub-committees delegated with the task of examining aspects of pay and conditions at various times These papers include a report on hours, holidays and other conditions of attendants, 1906; a similar report for 1908; a list of named attendants, age, date of entering service, duties and exams, early 20th century; and papers and correspondence produced by a sub-committee on staff salaries etc, set up in December 1913. The latter includes details of salaries, and some weekly returns giving detailed breakdown of statistics of different staff at Retreat, 1914. There are also papers and tables relating to an investigation of attendants' timekeeping, 1914, and papers relating to nurses' food and conditions, 1913 - 1915 (following complaints, a sub-committee was appointed to investigate and report and suggest improvements in food in 1915)
