BRITISH WOMEN WAR WORKERS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16724, 6 January 1920, Page 6

BRITISH WOMEN WAR WORKERS.

i i +- i OVERSEA SETTLEMENT SCHEME, j PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND. ' isrrciAi. to "Tnr miss. ) ■ AUCKLAND. January .V j The possibility of employment in Now \ Zenlan.i for liriiL<]i women war workers j were di-eussca l>y Misses ]•. M. Girdler an.l G. WY.ikin."of tlio British Oversea ; Settlement Mi.-sion. who have returned , to Au-kland after a comprehensive tour , of ihe North Island. Although tho j !ai'ii\; have not completed their cnquiiies. they have learned sufficient to J he ;11> 1 o to express a detinito opinion as to where wovkiTs iiiv most in 1 - , gently wanted —in domestic .service and ; in industrial life. < ' "We shall toll the women of England ! that there is very little chance lor them ; in New Zealand' in elerieal work, hut splendid opportunities a> domestic help- j or.- and iudnsuial v. orders. ' sai ( J .Mi-s ; v;iivller. Tin- great need of lomestie ; 1, ■.•!:« tor farmers' wive- jiuprt ,-sed it-elf j s'.ro:: Jy upon tlie visitors in the course j of ii:eir tour of the country districts. ; "Tho.-e women lead :v hard life.'' said : Mi.-s Girdlcr, "'and it seems almost im- i P's-;l>!-> for them to obtain help under ; present conditions. I think many English women would he much more willing to go into these districts than your ! Now Zealand crirls seem to he. hut tho | same effort will have to ho made here i that is boinjr made ju every other c-nin- ! trv faced ivith tho domestic problems. The status of tho domestic uoiker will : have to he raised to that of other or- ! pupations nnrl definite working condi- j tions formulated. Speaking of tho splendid work of the j English land army girLs, tho delegates expresses! tho opinion that there was plenty of scopo for them in the same direction in New Zealand. They did not for a moment propose that the girls should go into the hack blocks and do j clearing and similar work, hut there certainly apficnrcd to l-o opportunities for them to continuo their farm work in the direction of share milki'.ig, bee keeping, ©rchardry, and poultry roaring. With regard to industrial work, it was vorv apparent that tho Dominion could readily absorb a large number of girls for its mills and factories. "Our investigations have gone to prove that thoro are unquestionably good opportunities in this countrv for English women," said Miss Watkins. "But an other factor, equally apparent, would prevent, our sending a large number of them out here, anoihnt is tho housing difficulty/' Tiie remedy suggested for tliis was the establishment of women's hostels tinder a system which had long hern in operation in Canada and other countries, and which had been found admirable. Such houses might he started by private enterprise, bv public subscription. or by social or philanthropic association*, with the j>o<=s : h!o assistance of a Government or municipal subsidy. In summing up their impressions of working conditions in New Zealand olio of tho delegates said: ''They are sufficiently irood to attract our best workers*. Compared with conditions that still obtain in the same direction in Englmid, they ari> id«nl. and T wi«'t that some of your New Zealand girls who are discontented and think themselves hardly done by. could only have a glimpse of the life of some of tho women workers of England."