LOOKING AFTER OUR GIRLS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 13 September 1917, Page 2

LOOKING AFTER OUR GIRLS.

, IMPORTANCE OP AMPLE FOOD.

What is a “substantial meal?” was the subject of a fairly lengthy discussion at the Conciliation Council at Auckland, The assessors for the union in the dispute in the hotel, restaurant, luncheon, refreshment, and tea rooms trade claimed that a girl was entitled to two substantial meals a day, and it was asserted that this was not done in some places. Mr F. Prior, employers’ assessor, said three names had been mentioned, and he had enquired, and they denied the truth of the statement. They each state the girls simply helped themselves to whatever there was that they liked. Mr Jackson (union advocate) said such evidence should be given before the Court. Mr T. Harle Giles (Conciliation Commissioner) said that his definition of a substantial meal was meat and vegetables. Mr S. E. Wright said his enquiry had shown that typists and shop-girls appeared to lunch on tea and scones or cakes. , Mr Jackson said the Arbitration Court had decided that girls must have two substantial meals each day. Mr Giles said the trouble was the Court had not defined what was a substantial meal. Mr G. W. Wright said it was absurd to ask small tea rooms to give the girls substantial meals. He was barred from cooking by his lease at one of his shops Boiling tea and heating the pies was entirely barred at many places where ther e were offices above. At the present time refreshments rooms had a hard enough job to make a living. Within the last few months quite a number had gone out of business. Mr Giles said he felt that growing young women must be properly fed in the interests of the whole community. Mr G. W. Wright said the same must apply to all places where young girls are employed, and not tea rooms alone. All factories should be asked to provide two substantial meals for the females workers, if refreshment rooms were compelled to do so. Mr. Giles pointed out that provided the wages paid were sufficient to enable girls to buy substantial meals, the responsibility of employers must cease in that respect. Mr G. W. Wright said many of the girls were so anxious to get home at night that they would not wait for tea. This proposal meant an extra tax on I small tea rooms. At restaurants it was quite easy to give the girls substantial meals.

Mr Kennedy said no woman or man should got any consideration if the success of the business was at the expense of the health of the female employees. Finally it was agreed that the Arbitration Court would have to define what was a substantial meal.