Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1947. HARDSHIP ON WOMEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 237, 19 July 1947, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1947. HARDSHIP ON WOMEN

Seventy-five per cent, of the housewives recently interviewed by a sub-committee of the Wellington Housewives’ Association found the 40-hour, five-day week a definite hardship. The committee’s findings, of which the foregoing is one, were given *at a largely attended meeting of members, at which unanimous agreement was reached on the point that it was the five-day week, worked at one stretch and involving the long week-end to which the women objected. Single working women and girls without household responsibilities were 100 per cent, for the 40hour week, the investigations showed.- If a similar investigation was carried out throughout the Dominion, the result would probably be the same as that in Wellington, but nothing much can be done, about the matter for the next three years, at all events. The support accorded the change by single women is not surprising, for this section of the community is not burdened with domestic worries, and can know nothing of the trials and hardships of the woman with a young family. One wonders what the reaction of single women would be if there was a law stipulating that single women should devote some part of Saturday to minding other people’s children. No doubt there would be an instant clamour for shops and offices to reopen on Saturday mornings. Before the five-day week came into force, women foresaw what the effect of cramming six days’ shopping into five would mean, but their protests went unheard. So far as shopkeepers trading in lines other than food are concerned, the change has made practically no difference. Their goods can only be sold once, and the public make their purchases as time permits, but with the food shops the position is very different. It is this aspect of the position that the Wellington Housewives’ Union has fastened on to, and’ one of the recommendations of its report is for Wednesday closing of food shops, and Saturday opening. This possibly would improve the situation so far as. making provision for . the week-end is concerned, but it is hardly likely to prove acceptable to those employed in food shops. At the moment they enjoy the benefit of the long week-end along with other sections of the community, and g they would not lightly give up the concession. The five-day week has now been in operation long enough for all sections to become accustomed to it. Doubtless there are haulships and inconveniences, but the position would not be improved very much by staggering the week. The chief criticism that really can be levelled against the five-day week is that it is not universal.