A FEMALE STRIKE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1275, 11 January 1883, Page 2

A FEMALE STRIKE.

' !''(MelbourneAvgus.) . _lt is not often we hear nf women and girls turning out on strike, bnt that unufiual occurrence has been witnessed in 'this city within the last few days. At intervals for some yeara past we have received eoramnnioationsciimplaining of the starvation wages paid by the clothing manufacturers to their hands; but books have;.always been produced to disprove the statements made, and- alter tome slight controversy the subject has been allowed.!to' drop. It, appears,• however, that in the opinion ofvMessrs' Beatri,. Schiesai & Go, low as the prices for needle wort havelbeen, they .have not been low enough; so about Bixbr- seven/weeks ago 'ten per/cent waß deducted from/the wages .paid.by them for piecework,- < Tnerfl.'was grumbling at this, but necessity demanded acquiescence'.' Encouraged by the success achieved; the firm ingestion determined to have another slice off the earnings of its employees, but whon a further reduction was announced aonie flesh and blood rebelled.; In three factories the white slaves submitted, but those in the fourth "wentoiit!" , flnce more ■thebopks are brought out for reporter is wsared. jthat good hands'can make what certainly appear very Recent wages. /' But, o.n the other hand, the employees 'assert (Hat i such wagas cannot be made Unless they! work, not only the full eight Koura in the factory, hut take homework, and sit up till ten or eleven every 1 night) ;If they had to labor till tenor eleven sunder,the. old scale to meet their require;menfsj .what will they have to do under the new!/ It is possible that the otate of /the trade/renders the reductions unavoidibis; but; if not, the decrease in prices .certainly eeenis very much like an at;(empt to grind the faces of the poor and. .helpless;,; AVeJearthatin theattempt Jjo pro-,; jtectiheir Jnterests, many poor women and girls will undergo great snfferiulfrahd have ] anything bnt a •» Merry Christmas," Bat, the discipline they will undergo 'will prove; jaalutary it it leads them to .overcome" the silly vanity which with.. ;hQlds;thom!ffbrrV of dorflestio; service, and keeWtheihwthe. : serfa-of ;arY ! overcrowded trade. 1U Ine, custor|;!'6i Agoing out tb.service 1 had teen ■.established amongst. the class, that nowfurnishes the factory hands, the offer would not have had the attractjan which it has undoubtedly Iffomeii? (Bspecially—ara wise, they will makohastei'toVqnit aboßinessin which employers pan., knock off 10 or 20: nir pent of their earnings at pleasure, • •