THE GIRL ON THE JOB

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1924, Page 4

THE GIRL ON THE JOB

Qfl-STIOX OK WO.MKX WORK KBS

I in- refusal of the Auckland City Council to a'ive a motor ’bus conductor’s license to a youti/ woman who was apparently eligible in every way excepting that she was “ft feiltale person” aroused a controversy that appears to lie only now in its zenith (says the Auckland ‘‘Star”). There are those who condemn the action of tin- council and those who warmly support it. The former maintain that in the modern world women are entitled to any job they can hold—that the (piestion of “dignity” oanno! he accorded consideration in the matter of honest labour. Others contend that women must first of all consider their life and actions as women ; that it is iimvomunlv to invade man’s,

"sphere” ; and that there are altogether too many women who are filling positions which should properly lie held bv men.

This week a lcpoi’ter imide inquiries of several employers, II was nut ireable that those employing girls and women spoke in favour of female workers in the field of commerce, and that those who did not were greatly against, the woman-wage earner.

‘•Ill my opinion,” silid ;i ivell-kllnivn mcirely.iiil, "the ordinary intelligent business-educated girl is competent to hold any ordinary business job—and this covers a wide range. Alter very long and comprehensive experience, I have found that the woman typist, clerk. Imoh-ki-i’piT, Keeretiily, counlerlniml, or other ullic-.- of si life woman lms quite satisfactorily filled her position, and ill very many eases has proved a batter •mao’ timii tin- than. Almost invariably she is hottest. Kiwis always reliable. Kite is cinisci-li-tmus in that she tries to give lull value for wluit she is paid. Slit- is not so fond of change as the men. You will see men always oil the Ir.uk-nut lor a fresh job, just lieeause tlu-y want to wander somewhere else. Women stick to their jiilis, get loud ol them, take pride in them, and leave them only for the inducement of marriage.”

Ollier employers of lemale labour spoke mueli in the same strain. One of them declared that lie would not have a man about tin- place in his nb-M-nre. "As soon as your bail; is turned,” he said, "the young fellow H am not referring to the steady worker ol years) pull out tlicit- cigarettes, lake a walk round, and sometimes make a lirenk lor the nearest ‘puli’ in tell each other their opinions of the boss. Well. I find that the women do their work just as well when I am away as when I am here.”

■•Thill’s all stuff and iiiinscii--e about -the girls stopping to paint and powder their cheeks and llu-ir noses,” said another employer. "’I here’s not a girl in this place who can’t do her work, and do il well; and there’s not one job I've .got a girl in that any man could do better,”

Another man declared that his faith in women’s work was such that lie would always advertise for a girl typist or bookkeeper in preference to a man. Some of his "girls” were paid the equal of what a man would get. lie paid the wage for tln- position, irrespective ol sex. When the girls left to get married he Iclt sorry lor himself. but more sorry for the girl. In most eases she married a mail who earned little more limn herself, and sin- gave up a good salary for nothing. "Of course.” lie admitted, "marriage

is the piopcr sphere lor the normal woman. But wlu-n sin- enters the marriage state s|;,. finds herself (very oltell. anyhow) deprived o| many i-hiii-li ft' she enjoyed on her goad alary a> a single woman.”

The low wages paid to girls in some, ollii-es, sail| allot her employer, were in respect only to thn~e girls who undertook work u liicli could lie done'though lint as well) bv buys. These girls were mainly married before they mold quality by experience and knowledge

lor a lespntisibl - pusilioii at a good v. ago. They simply marked tune in the period between school and marriage. Surely it was better to employ such girls tlrin to employ boys, for

"hem there "as no good career ill an othce! M lull was wrong in employing "ills, lie demanded, when there was so tniicli talk about, tin- “drift to the elites,” "blind alley occupations',” and tke need ol boys to lake up trades and settle our agricult ill-ill lands' There were too malty boys in offices now with would have no hit tire worth ultile.

Ibe director of a big city store ile'lai'etl that (here were not enough gills in supply the demand, either for oliices or shops. He added that il sometimes "made him sick” to see strong men, who could be doing work which would help develop the country, ‘'measuring out yards of ribbon behind ti <ounter.” Women could do all that kind ol work. As for a woman working preventing her marriage, that was all "rot”. No laaticr wluit the girl’s p i-iiion she could gel married when she wanted to and leave the job. Opinions expressed on the other side

were very emphatic. Various declarations were that women were taking the means of livelihood from men. and, In reducing salaries, making it impossible lor them to marry: that women were So "lost to all sense of shame’’ that they would now take on any job—itist to show that tlu-v were “brazen” and

"didn’t care wind wa- thought or .-aid of them” : that, many actually delighted in getting a man's in!) so that she totthl rank as an equal, or licttor. of limn; that they sought particularly alter positions in wlticli they i-ottld meet men, "itli an eye to "the main chance” —("Thank God, they’ve abolished hill-maids, or, at least, refused to license any more," ejaculated tinman) : that women were beginning to consider themselves as separate identities in business, scorning home life, marriage, and motherhood, but anxious to seize on every pleasure of lik'| without accepting its responsibilities, j These accusations were till general, and when the "Star” man asked for instances lie was told to "Look around j and see for himself.”