UNBUSINESS LIKE WOMEN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 9 November 1912, Page 11

UNBUSINESS LIKE WOMEN.

NEED OF TRAINING.'

Wnlo urging that business Wo Is not in ideal one for women, it must be tb. membered that, whatever their calling, a oertain amount of business training is as necessary for women as for men, writes a contributor to the "Melbburno Age." Even-for an occupation so essentially feminine as house-keeping, some business knowledge, may .be regarded as the bine qua non of success, for she, who lacks .method, whose .accounts • are inaccurate, whose modus operandi is erratic, and who has notlmastered the full significance of those words debtor and creditor, is likely to constantly outrun the. constable, and to have : a:minimum of comfort at a maximum'of eipbhse..,'••;. :, -:■,.. "Oh," say some women airily, "I can-' not be : bothefed;with accounts; it seems bo-' mean to haggle over, sixpence, . Beoldeo," complacently, "my husband'trusts me; he never asks me how I have spent 'my money." "Whereby the speakers but prove their' incapacity and their ignorance, and earn-the scorn of their, wiser ■sisters. l '.. It is amazing that some.women 6hbuld be' so warped in their point of view as to consider incompetence a matter ; for glorification, and blazon their shortcomings accordingly; , Their husband's toleration is probably a wearied acceptance of- the inevitable—he knows that the mere' suggestion of "accounts" endangers domestic peace, and so Bays' : nothing, though he possibly thinks ..the more. .■' ■'--. ; ' .. • As a matter of fact,; husband and: wife are partners—he it is.who earns the .•money,'and It is for her to lajr it out to the best advantage,' Some'business train-

trig should be an unquestioned part of a .' girl's education. . ." As a child 6he should be given Tegular "pocket-money, .which she should be en-' couraged ; to spend wisely,,for even with eo email'a sum asithis there may be wis-, v dom and unwisdom. There is no need 1 ~to interfere with aohild's own desires, to ordain that' the. money be. sperit'on. "something useful," or to .urge miserliness, but „,the pennies may, be saved for. some defin-1 ~. ite object,,' for. the purchase. of ■ ; a' new 1 'paint box or anew doll, orfor tiny birthday and Christmas presents for other members of- the family.. Odd "tips" make a: very ambitious wish possible: of accom-' pHshment,. and so, unconsciously, ': the. child assimilates .the fact : that money is for-wise spending, ..'and she is neither : mean nor extravagant. ' .' With increasing, years may/be :glven in-' ' jßieasing responsibility. ' The regular pay-

inent may be in shillings instead of pence, . : «le4 may be expected to, cover such expenses as tram fares.'and-"hair ribbons, instead of being only. for pleasure and presents. 'Then comes the turning up of ' flair and the letting down of skjrts. These outward, signs, which makes tacit acknowledgment of womanhoood, a period when all girls should be given their own allowance, no jaattc'r how small; necessity ' dictates that it shall be. • Tor she who intends-to.'earn'her own living the advantages of such a/.training are incalculable. Jinny girls,- charimilg ' in themselves,' and. possessed 'of ample. ability, absolutely fail as wage-earners by reason of their vague attitude to all matters, of business. • ,Prom sheer lack of realisation they forget, and they' muddle; their' letters are .'■"W.long and rambling that no man of business can . be bothered with: them; they '". overlook small duties, and do not deliver Messages; for them an appointment means B, margin, ot a .quarter. o{ an kpur.'pn

either side, and the receipt of money does not suggest a formal acknowledgment. Women will tell you that "they like to trust peoplo," but tho observance of ordinary rules does not imply distrust, and onoe a transaction ooncerns more than one person these rule 3 mußt be recognised and conformed with. Now that women ore taking a more active part in publio affairs there is an even greater need for them to be conversant with the more elementary principles of business procedure. As members of political and charitable committees, as presidents and secretaries and treasurers,' they must in justice tb themselves and their duties see that all things are done in order; they havo ceased to be individuals,-and have become part of an official wholeV From a purely selfish point of view thiß bnsinoss training is no less important. The,girl who. has it is far more fitted to make her own way in the world than she who has not, and women of private means should at, least know enough to understand whence their income is derived, and what is the nature of their investments. Many women whose men folk make some provision for them, be it small or large, find themselves totally ignorant of all matters of finance, and obliged to accept without question any statement that may be put before them. Trustees may be above reproach—or they may not, but ;even the most excellent:trustee may die, and there can be no guarantee as to the desirability of his successor. No man should keep his wife in com?lete ignorance .of his business affairs. i- may fall to her lot to administer his estate for. herself and.for his children, and-the explorer makes many false turns in an'entirely unknown country. .

' 'There is a'final phase' of. the. question which is perhaps the ' most important, and that is consideration' of the fact that 'a due observance of'business methods is no small factor- \in the development '. of mind and (character. ~A.'; well-ordered brain can accomplish far. more. ( than' one 'which'works % fits and starts.' -A..well-, disciplined,, temper ..engenders,,-" far .....less !nerve' strain, than .one which i's'sw;ayed by any! passing emotion. While, engaged in boiling tar in the 'basement of a house.-in, Borough Road,' London, S;E., a young man ■ named Thomas Freeman was badly burnt owing to 6ome of the liquid bubbling over and 'suddenly bursting iinto flame. An, explosion occurred, and. the. whole of the lower part of the house was 6et on fire. Mrs. Freeman, two other women, and a male lodger -were cut off by the flames

and forced to remain in the house. The. inmates rushed .into a back room, the window of which was protected by ironbars. A neighbour named Harwood seeing their plight, secured a crowbar and battered down the iron bars from the window and, dragged the four persons from the'..burning house. ,