MARRIED WOMEN AND PIN MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 133, 2 December 1929, Page 10

MARRIED WOMEN AND PIN MONEY

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—"M.M. V letter regarding prn money for wives deals with only one side of a many-Kided subject. If wives, as "M.M." suggests, arc so bursting with energy that they must seek work outside their homes, why keep someone who needs the work out of a job? Many wives have to work of necessity, because they possess husbands whose honour, intelligence, or ability is of so low a degree that the socalled bread-winner can't or won't earn enough to keep himself, let alone his wife. There ara other wives of the energy-burst-ing variiity who work from sheer goldgrabbing greed. I happen to be a victim of one of these. She took my position during my temporary absence, and when installed gushingly informed me that my job would be waiting for me on my return. When I asked her for it she gave many reasons for not resigning. I quote two:—

(1) The boss wouldn't let her. {2) Even if she did resign her husband said I mightn't get the job back. I know she was under no contract with the firm, and I have received a letter from the boss stating that if the position was vacant he would notify me immediately. However, that is six months ago, and the pin money wife has not resigned to date I agree with "M.M." that the lady may be bursting with vim, as she lives in a two-roomed flat, and her favourite cookin« implement is the frying pan. Let me remind "M.M.," too, that when I'm out of work I haven't a husband's wages to fall back upon. It isn't a very pleasant thing to know that one would be in agreeable a»d constant employment instead of temporary wor.is if a pin money seeker wasn't "Mnjio'- adding to her banking account. jU.M., like a great many other peoplescorns to work u-iless she is paid. If she is so fond 01' work as she professes, payment would not matter; she would work for love of being busy. How many noble men and women have sacrificed everything, even their lives, for love of some particular work? Many have died in poverty because of that love, but I do not think M.M." and her ilk belong to that class.

Work may be God's greatest blessing but tor a married woman who doesn't need the money to retain the work of someone badly in need of it seems to me to be a most peculiar blessing. Although 1 am only m temporary employment I am willing to give.a helping hand to those "TirTr.? # a? m,? 6elf' and I'm sure fil.M will be disgusted to know that 1 do it because it makes me happy, and I f On} ??'• pald- Piu money maY be a handy thing to have, but there is such a thing as a conscience, but some people can explain themselves out of any situation — I am, etc.,

A PIN MONEY VICTIM.