A STRATFORD WANT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1920, Page 6

A STRATFORD WANT.

HOSTEL FOR BUSINESS GIRLS. ACTION BY RETAILERS' ASSOCIATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Nov. IG. The need for taking some stops in the direction of providing suitable accommodation in Stratford for business girls lias been apparent for a long lime past, and at a recent meeting of the .Retailors' Association the matter was fully discussed, and Messrs. R. H. Whitp and R. D. Lowers were appointed a subcommittee to inquire into a report upon the question whether a hostel similar to the one already in existence in Hawcra could be established in Stratford.

The matter came up again at the annual meeting of the Association last night, when the report of Messrs. White and Lewers was presented. Mr. White was unable to attend the meeting, but in a. letter to the secretary he stated that lie and Mr, Lewers had visited the Hawera hostel and the secretary (Mrs. Harrop) and the matron had ' showed them round and given all the information asked for. A similar establishment would, in his opinion, be a big undertaking for Stratford unless a large number of business and professional men would take the matter up, assisted by a strong ladies' committee. The report slated that the tariff charged at Hawera was 27s (Id a week for a single room, 25s for two in a room and 22s Cd for three in a room. Gd extra being charged for the use of the electric iron. The hostel had 12 rooms, consisting of 4 small bedrooms with one girl in a room, two rooms with three girls in each, one room with four girls in it, and one with two girls; also a sleeping porch, large kitchen, and large dining and sitting The salaries paid were: Matron £2 per week, first assistant at 28s Gd and second assistant at 255, while a woman was engaged to come in and do the heavy work. The building was benight for £I4OO, and £.IOO additional was spent upon it, the £I7OO being raised on debentures at t! per cent by the men's committee. Tn addition 'the ladies' committee raised £320 by opening a shop and selling anything they had given them, and this amount was spent in furnishing. No dividend was paid during the first year. The debenture holders elected four trustees, and the men's committee were able to use an overdraft in connection with the building. The establishment is run by the women's committee, and although they wen unable to pay a dividend, they kept going and spent. £12.") on extra furniture, and finished the year with £2O in hand. A copy nf the rules of the hostel was enclosed with the report. These are similar to the rules usually carried out in girls' hostels. They state that lights are put out in living rooms at 10 p.m., and girls coming in later than '0 p.m. are requested to abstain from annoying the other inmates by making any unnecessary noise.

The report evoked n good don I of discussion, ii 11 flip members taking part, agreeing that tlie provision of sneli a hostel in Stratford will fill a long-felt want. Tt was estimated that £2OOO would he necessary to make a start under present conditions.

Eventually it was decided to nail a public meeting in January for the purpose of ascertaining what degree of support, would be forthcoming from the public of Stratford in the event of it being decided to establish a hostel in the borough.