HOSTELS FOE GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 259, 20 July 1918, Page 8

HOSTELS FOE GIRLS

ACUTE POSITION IN CITY

LOW WAGES-DEAR BOARD

PROBLEM FOR THE STATE

The lot 8f girls and. youths earning small salaries and boarding in Wellington is in these days hard. Some of the young women have, the hardest time. 'J.he Teachers' Instituto discussed the nuiitei- last night, with special reference to girls in the leaching profession. Miss Aitcheson moved: "i'hat the question of. the establishment of a hostel ior women is worthy of consideration." In support ,ol the motioii she spoke of the need ior hostels i'or girls ciioiising a studious career, not only teachers, but girls m other walks of life. In the country the. loi of the young teacher was extremely hard because of the hick of suitable accommodation. If girls were to be sent to the country they should first ol all have a period in the loiviis under experienced feathers, and in any case it should be part of the lldiication lioard s duty to see that accommodation suitably was provided. Good living conditions we-ru essential if girls were to work well. I'ov this liiiihy girls craved J list its iiiucji as for increases of salai-v. ■Miss Williams said that girls could not get suitable board at reasonable rales. Swine had lo piit uri irilli rooms merely, without board, and she had heard of girls being asked as much as 30s. a week ior a room alone.

Jlr. ilopkirk said that the Government WH responsible, and that the Government should take steps at once to suiiplv the cryinjr nm \ f (;r . nccomiiiodaiiim/for women; Tne Government had brought to the ncishboiii-hood of Wellin-tun e.imps, mid i la ,| therebv set up coiidittons ivlndi made it hard for manv people to live.

.nits X. £. Coad said that it seemed to her that young women were not thought of in rcgiird to the illnuliities of 1i1i. , . All the care iviis for "our buys." Sht> did liul see what llieici >.viii to pra.veiil the UovernML'iit esliiblialiiiij; a lint building like the Y.iI.C.A. liUitution, run on the same lilies, in which young women couJd obtain Iward :ind judging, iilie would like lo' see the motion go a little farther. She could not see ivhy tho institute shuilld not lake- a big house and set up a hostel, or if that were impossible, Lhey might at least establish a clubrcom.

Miss Bright said that the lot of the young woman in lodgings was extremely hard. The minimum iale for board nowadays was 80s. a week, and alter this rate had been paid there was little left out of a girl's salary of i; 120 a year! Some of these girls wero k> hiird pressed financially that they had to do without meals sometimes in ordjr to meet extraordinary expenses. She 'lid not agree with Miss Coad that the girls were being treated worse than the young men. The young, men were all being sent away. Miss P. Myers said that the problem was one which hud for lons interested her. She was of opinion that no young teacher should be sent into the country unless suitable accommodation were provided. In any case, teachers out of the Training College were not old enough to go to the country. Teachers who were distressed by thejir living conditions were not fit to do their very important work.

Mr. Haslani eaid that he would advise the institute to ask only for a hostel for teachers. It was not possible under present conditions for (lie. Government to provide accommodation for i.ll the young women in Wellington deeding accommodation. He would suggest that the institute might be. able, if no Hostel wen-e available, or no scheme cf that sort possible, to find accommodation for youiig women in suitable homes. Miss Aitcliosoli said that she had never contemplated that ono Hostel would suffice. AVKaf was intended. rather was "hostel accommodation." The motion was carried. The effect of this resolution is that the Management Committee of the institute will conswer the matter and take such action as may seem desirable. .....