THE FEMALE LABOR MARKET.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1083, 24 June 1873, Page 3

THE FEMALE LABOR MARKET.

A recent home paper says : —" The usually quiet locality Of Cannon Row, Westminster, was very recently the scene of an extraordinary excitement. Eleven situations for junior counterwomen being vacant at various metropolitan post offices, intimation of the same was given through the usual channels, and candidates were directed to apply personally at the offices of the Civil Service Commissioners on Tuesday and Wednesday, 11th and 12th March. In response to the advertisement it is variously computed that on the first day from 1000 to 1500 applicants attended. It is more than probable the latter estimate is nearer the mark, if not considerably within it, as numbers of would-be candidates on seeing the vast crowds assembled, immediately turned back. The steps and courtyard of the offices of the Commissioners were blocked, the locomotion to and from the offices and through Cannon Eow itself was for a time, notwithstanding the united exertions of several policemen, completely at a stand-still. The unusual spectacle of such an extraordinary number of young women collected together attracted the attention of the neighborhood around, and this, as may be imagined, by no means tended to facilitate the traffic ; in fact, for a time, business was suspended in the immediate locality, the various windows looking into Cannon Eow presented an appearance only to be ordinarily witnessed in our principal thoroughfares on the occasion of some great procession. The number who attended on the second day is put down as between 500 and GOO; the exact number, for the reason wc have stated, it is impossible to arrive at. It may, however, be safely assumed that 2000 young women repaired to Cannon Eow for the purpose of competing for these situations ; this much, bovsever, is certain, that the Commissioners did actually examine for these 11 vacancies, over 1000 candidates.