NEW YORK BUSINESS GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 19 June 1909, Page 11

NEW YORK BUSINESS GIRLS.

In 'm' other country in the world does the business girl receive such consideration in', the .'matter; of' provision ■ for her personalcomfort as. in New York. To a great oxtent this-is doubtless owing to the fact tfyat girls : .'become :iriost, i important' factors in", the great working world. In famed Wall ! Street; ;fori:example,-'.there 'i are. almost as many women as men to be: seen on the pavements \when; lunch-time arrives, for in some of the huge offices several hundreds of !the .are.,,employed,-.-; Great concerns, such as banking institutions, insurance businesses, or real estate firms, employ scores of .woman to, 3o work- which formerly was for men only. In- such", establishments,- where affairs; are on a large scale, the employers;.,;, .provide luxurioiisly-appointed-roilet-ropmsj. '.with'- marble basins and .fittings,' cleaii towels and' , soap being a matter of course. 'AJso,' ;there ■ are; 'nicely-furnished rooms,-where"; girls;, .if; they bring'their* own luhcli-baskets/' may f dino. * But, apart from these; cpmfortSj v'club-restaurants' for ; : ■ girls York :businesscentres, which :'cater exclusively for working women. •\''Al'place3;of \this sort: can :be found' the stenographers,-, bookkeepers/ accountants, 'and-librarians; who have.'charge of the statistical. departments .• of -the ■ various! banking offipes',, the'privilege of using the: club restaurant;: girls are. askcd_ to pay a' quarter of a dollar, (about a shilling-and- a"penny): per month. The meaJs,. which are delicious and wholesome ;and. well cooked, are -dispensed .at,one. end of. the pretty room by waitresses, who ■ serve, out* hot meals, soups;vegetables, l ,.tea,-, anil' so on.. Each member reaches. for:; a ' tray- and paper d'oyley, and: then chooses"her meal,: which is placed' on the, tray, and as eaih "customer, passes by acertain .row; of .-boxes, she takes "a' knife,, fork, and-spoon; , All - the surroundings are' as dainty,, and \jresb as • possible, ■ and the fact' that;, customers , attend .to their own wants does not detract from'the, appetising character! of. the meals. (A- noticeable fact in connection with, this class of restaurant is -that at nowhere, else, is good food obtained at such low prices. ~ This!. dispensing with waitresses makes it .possible for . a girl to' get a good luncheon'or dinner ,in New York' (where .food, is; always a. .tremendously ex-, 'pensive/item)-at' a cheaper rate than would be' possible: in ■New. Zealand., .For a. sum equivalent to 10d., a substantial repast of roast, beef,; potatoes, and . vegetables, an abundance. of. bread, butter,; and cheese; with tea, coffee, or cocoa, can be obtained, whilst a sufficient, allowance of .fish, potatoes, and tea costs ibut 7d:' *-•! •