COLUMN FOR WOMEN

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 130, 4 February 1915, Page 2

COLUMN FOR WOMEN

"GO ON THE LAND, YOUNG WOMAN." THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT. "P. 5.," in the "Daily Mail," tells of the problem cf unemployment amongst women at Home, and hew 22 girls of spirit and enterprise went "on the land.'' "Why don't you put. us to work on the land?" The suggestion came from a factory girl at the beginning cf the var when thequestion cf .employment t'er the unemployed factory girl was raised. It. was wise advice, ami the Central Cominitte on Women's Employment tock it. Thirty girls were sent into training las market gardeners and fruit growers on land which was lent for the purpose, and a grant was obtained to pay the girls' wages for cue year. GIRLS OF SPIRIT. Twenty-two girls are now at work. it is extraordinary to see an actual bit ,f Last London transplanted to the > country-- and liking Ir No cue could 1 :iu,vake the girls who eve now busily planting uees for anything but factory iirls. The way they dr thch halt-., the nigh tene in which t.'.c-y ta'k, theii , icnerai "breeziness" neiong entirely ■ c the East End factory girl. Probably .10 other type of London girl would .iave had the spirit t;o tackle this ! absolutely different work in the way ' .he.se girls are doing. "I'm going to stick it through.the ■vinter if 1 can," Is the general, expression cf cpinicn, and the girls refer o the weather, net to the work. They .cok to digging like ducks to the \vaer. No one knew how to handle a spade, but these girls are very quick, aid they do net need to be told twice. The majority have been packers and iottle-washers employed in a confec .icnery factory, and there are twe dressmakers and a typist They all md digging and planting an interestng employment. They are working en twenty acres jf land, and have already planted one leld with 10,000 cabbages, and on the ther side they are putting 1500 curant trees, and two leng beds separating the fields are planted out with daf. odils end narcissi. They will be planting trees for some time, and they are o grew every kind of vegetable for heir own use. Two cf the girls are going to Ausralia at the end of the year if they like the work.

They begin in the morning at 7.30, a ireak comes at 11 o'clock, when milk md bread and butter are dispensed, hen they work till dinner time at 12.30 \. hot meal is provided for fourpence ach, and they w'crk again in the fields Mitil 5 o'clock. FARES PAID BY SWEETHEARTS. For a 43-hour week they are paid 2s, and extra for overtime. Board uid lodging costs from 7s to 9s a vcek and they nearly all want to end something heme to their mothers. They are quite near enough to go up o London for the week-end, but their vages would not cover the expense. The g-irls do go, however, for their : boys" send the money for their fares. The same "boys" come down to visit hem.

The difficulty is tc keep them amus;»d when they are not working, Overime making pickles and chutney—occupies them for a little while in the evening, and it is hoped that two bas-vet-makcrs will presently join the community who will be able to teach fellows to make baskets which ire used in the outdoor work. The ■ ills may also be able to make their -\vn punnets for the fruit.

POULTRY-REARING TAUGHT

Onee a week there are talks led by he two lady superintendents on garienins' cr poultry-rearing. The latter is :o be taught practically. Eleven of the girls live together in i house adjoininy their hwn Jane l ; which has.been rented by the committee. The others lodge in the village or in cottages near by. If th e girls do not care to go on living at the house, they can give a week's notice and find lodgings. Even '.hose living at the house, buy their own food, with the exception of dinner, because they think they can do it cheaper. The shopping also gives them an additonal interest SINGING IN THE FIELDS. For further recreation they play the piano and dance and sing. They are always singing. When the day's work is over you hear them coming back singing across the fields. Even when sifting with tears running down their cheeks from peeling onions they are still singing. And they dance. As soon as dinner is over they are waltzing or two-stepping round the room. The only great want they have is for boots —strong boots. Ordinary town boots are of no use, and as the girls explained "once your feet get wet you're done." They have been advised to work bare-footed, but they will not entertain this idea, as they say they would look like niggers!