MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 January 1931, Page 6

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS

- ■ DISMISSAL IN NEW SOUTH WALES MINISTER’S BOMBSHELL SYDNEY, 24th December. At least 600 additional Government jobs will be created in New South Wales as the result of the definite policy that has been laid down by the new Minister for Education (Mr Davies) who was once a. miner, reports the Sydney correspondent of the Christchurch ‘“Press.” He dropped a bombshell at the annual conference of the Teachers’ Association the other day when lie said that all married women whose husbands were in employment and earning at least- £5 a week would be dismissed from the service. To use his own words these women will “come under the axe.” Their place will be filled by young men and women who had been trained at the expense of the State and who were now unable to find work. The Act would be amended to make it compulsory for a woman to resign upon marriage. Mr Davies quoted instances where a man and his wife employed as teachers earned between them as much as £1026! a year. Eight couples earned in a year £7287; that was to say. each couple averaged about £9OO. There were more than 400 women teachers whose husbands were employed outside the Department,' and an equal number of temporary teachers, whose husbands were employed outside the Department. There were approximately 900 women teachers. It had been found that approximately 300 of these were in poor circumstances owing to the illness of their husbands. Those women hadj nothing to fear. “It is my intention,” said the Minister, “to enquire whether the husband can support bis wife alone. Where the husband can support his wife, her services will be dispensed with. I have fixed the amount of the husband’s salary sufficient to support himself and his wife at £5 a week. Where the amount earned is in excess of this the wife will be dismissed. Probably 600 women will be dismissed under this scheme, and room wjll then be made for 600 young men and women who are! waiting for jobs.” SOME LIVELY SCENES When the matter came before the Association there were some lively j scenes and the women have made it' quite plain that they will fight—yes, ! and once again the fight will be to the j last ditch. It will probably divide the Association into two distinct groups —■ male and female. All speakers who were in favour of the Minister’s policy, were cheered by the men and almost hissed by the women. It is feared, that the women, will fight a losing 1 battle, for outside the Association they will have little sympathy. It is perhaps only natural in these times that the Minister’s announcement should have been well received. There are many who have expressed a hope that the Government will go even further and make it illegal for any women to work while lief' husband is in regular employment. Feminists have already feared this and have laid their plans for a. fight. They will be behind the women teachers, for they consider that a big principle is at stake. But-, even the feminists cannot escape public opinion.