FEMALE MIGRATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 252, 16 July 1915, Page 3

FEMALE MIGRATION.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —In further referene to my letter of the 24th hist., X would now ask you to find space for an appeal on behalf, at once, of the wives of the fanners of New Zealand, and of the widows of those who have fallen and will yet fall in her defence, as one of the primary intentions of Prussia was to transfer the Dominion to the German Empire.. Before the outbreak of hostilities we had 1,364,000 widows, or rather more than the excess of females over male inhabitants (1,336,000) at home, and the number will be terribly increased before peace is signed. Mainthousands of the civilian widows were young women of the working classes, hardworking, thrifty, and domesticated, and practically the whole of the wr w-idows will be equally desirable as home helps, especially on farms w-here the loulinoss of the life discourages girls to go to undertake domestic work, and the diffieultes of inspection' deter people from sending them out. The farmer's wife also prefers to have the assistance of a reliable woman of her own age to that of a girl requiring instruction and control.

The experience of a score of widows, with one child, has been so satisfactory in New South Wales that such women are now regarded as potential domestic servants and given reduced fares as such, with a corresponding reduction in the fares of the children. The latter act as an anchor to the mother, who does not want to go out at night or to leave her situation at short notice. Her interest in her child also removes much of the loneliness women otherwise experience in the backblocks.

Will not New Zealand follow the example of her Mother State, and, after placing out all her own bereaved women, come to the assistance of those who are left alone, from their husbands having died for New Zealand and for the Empire at large Receiving centres and districts for distribution can now be arranged in advance, and enquiry will show how many widows with one or two children can be received. It would be a great advantage if those of each division at home could be placed out in the same distributing area. For example, widows of the Devonshire and Cornwall Regiments could be placed out from New Plymouth, those of the Warwickshires from Stratford, those of the Royal West Kent in Canterbury, those of .the Wiltshires or Oxfordshlres in Marlborough or from Blciheim, and so on.

Such a movement would make for a United Empire, and reduce not only our own femininity of population but also New Zealand’s excess of over 53,000 males, who in time could thus hope to become 53,000 fathers, which at present is impossible. Written on our Queen’s birthday, surely this appeal will not fall on deaf ears, but the women of New Zealand will DO sometiling for their sisters at home. —I am, etc., THOS. E. SEDGWICK. 33 Oriental Street, Poplar, London, E. May 20, 1915.