Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 16th, 1920. EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 16th, 1920. EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN.

In order to cope successfully with the large numbers of women who are unemployed, or whose earning capacities have been alfected as a result of the conditions arising out of the war, the British Minister of Labour has appointed the Central Committee on Women’s Training and Employment to bo a standing committee to consider, devise, 1 and carry out special schemes of work and training for these women. Lady Crewe is chairman, and the committee is largely composed of those who were responsible for the administration of the money collected 'by the Queen’s “Work for Women” Fund during the war. The committee will have the cooperation of the present Training Department of the Ministry of Labour, and the Employment Department oi the Ministry of Labour, and the universities and local education authorities are being invited to assist in pro viding training and additional facilities It is hoped to provide immediately i 1 large number of maintenance scholar ] ships to enable women to qualify a j teachers of domestic science, physics j culture, etc., and to qualify for post I under the Ministry. of Health in con nection with public health work gem rally. It is hoped also to afford j small number of carefully selected won [ en the opportunity of qualifying in sue i higher professions as medicine and tl ! law. Special consideration will l

I given to ex-service and other women ivhose pi) try into war work necessitated tiie interruption of their professional training and whose eimunsfanpes are now So altered as to make it difficult to continue their studies. It is also proposed, in conjunction with local au- [ thorities, to provide special .schemes whereby women of suitable qualifications may receive an intensive course of graining to enable them to fulfil the conditions prescribed by the Beard of Education for entering into training undpr the terms offered' by the local education authorities, there bpi)?g at present a shortage of 9,000 women teachers. Schemes are also contemplated for enabling women to qualify in the higher grade cookery and higher clerical JA'Ork. All women whose circumstances bring them within the committee’s ■terms of reference will he eligible, and candidates will be selected from th'oso who apply according to those qualities and abilities which will make them most likely to benefit permanently from the courses of training and to render the most valuable and permanent work when trained. Financially the committee is on a firm footing, having been allocated £500,000 by the Executive Committee of the National Belief Fund, and empowered to dispense t-lie residue flf the Queen’s “Work for Women” Fund. There can be little doubt that this committee will receive the support of the whole country, for the. magnificent efforts of the women of Great. Britain during the war materially assisted in bringing the conflict to a successful issue, and recognition of their past work by finding them employment in the future is one of the means by which the country can repay the debt it owes to its young girls and women.

Except for the loss of prestige entailed, the Reform party will not he seriously