EDUCATED WOMEN EMIGRANTS

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 79, 3 April 1911, Page 2

EDUCATED WOMEN EMIGRANTS

A YUAN OF INTEREST TO NEW! ZEALAND WOMEK,

CULTURE!!. CANDIDATES* "

(From Oat liidy Correspondent.) LONDON, February; 17. Of the making of committees there is no end, especially, a colonial is apt to conclude, committeea formed to deal with subjects "colonial. "The very latest, "The Committee of Colonial Intelligence for Educated Women," appears to embody an. excellent scheme, and the writer went thoroughly into its aims and. objects this week with ithe honorary .secretary. It is air organisation formed to encourage the emigationto the oversea dominions of educated women, lor the satisfaction, it is 'hoped, of, in our case, New Zealanders and Englishwomen, ut the.same fcirne. The conunittee will supply to candidates on this side -of the world, reliable, and practical informaltion ■with regard "to openings aJbroad, will ap-' point in the colonies expert agents, who will investigate local openings, and. it is also hoped, later on, to found settlements in <pbe colonies wliere training, Buitaible to 'the, needs of each, colony, can be gb'en, which, will form centres to,, rwhieh. the girie can return in the internals of employment. The Intelligence Office here, dn London will consider the demand for women's work in the colonies, and bring it into relation with tire supply in this country. From a New- Zealander'e experienced poimt of view, a dozen questions ccraee'rtfing .the ' working of itttia : pchente: arise at on**. . "Do your candidates understand the vital difference that ifchere is between life in Sew Zealand and life dn this country?" I asked, having ascertained that the ■emigrants will t>e cultured women, mainly daughters of professional men. ■ ; "A*9Olatefy," -was the reply. '"Chose iwho'pitt themselves into our bands, offering to take anything that offers, quite understand itSiaft phrase coVers, indeed, 'anything."' I did not iike to appear urosyinpathette or sceptical, but 'had known eaifk sentiments before now fall before the severity of our (busy life in, perhaps, the backblocks of New Zealand; when the secretary said gently* . "We do realise—that is why this committee las Ibeen organised—that our English applicants must 'be prepared to turn their hands to whatever comes along, bint 1 do not thinks -colonials realise that in .England com petition is* bo keen *nat a thoroughly cultured woman of gentle ibirth may be actually starving (because she can get nothing whatever to do." THE QUESTION OF CASTE. "Our people are prepared for domestic service—in fact, <weVe had a BJA. in here offering heiself for that work. She finds it, an liondon, so hard to make ends meet, is capable of doing everything in a house, and is perfectly willing to itake up a position aa house-help in New Zealand;" ""Now, in a case like that," I asked, "how do you propose to get" over the question of caste!" ~.,,, ■"WelL of course, we could not let her throw in her lot with servants of the ordinary clase —tihalt 'has never answered in ■ any country- in tfhe world, nor is it fair to <nic class of the other." , ■ . - v '

The business side of tie scheme will be run as is a registry office, though, so far, applicants ihave' !been J registered free of charge and offers of employment gladly considereS. The committee is on a sound financial (basis itself, tout as the scheme grows, as it it is proposed to establish what will 'be known as associateship^—that is to say, an employer, on becoming such, will "be -invited to Ibeconie an associate, on the payment of some small sum, probably 5/ a year, which will keep her in touch with the organisation at borne and abroad, and •will enable her to procure other girls ehould she want .them, without any extra, •dhaige. - ■The actual work of emigration wil] not ibe undertaken by this society, as . this is already admirably done by the British Women's Emigration Association and the South Afrioß. Colonisation Society. Tsie' new body hopes, however, to assist 'both these organisations and the Central Bureau for the Employment <rf Women in the difficult and .intricate task of finding suitable openings for educated women - ■whicfti, owing to file enonmons amount' ot work already on'iheir hands, they", ihave" not found it possible, to develop fully., Two tall, ibright-looking girls came in as we were talking, of the type we in New Zealand used to flatteringly call "typically English," and 'I found them very .eager ±o.emigrate... . '.',,'

We then went into the question of what else applicants proposed to do; and"! find thtut- "there- in the band prepared to follow their fortunes abroad, cooks, Syers and cleaners, poultry farmers, breeders of dogs, bee farmers, dressmakers, millmers, etc.

The domestic help interested the writer znosi since dt appeals to mc that "there is an almost unlimited opportunity for them, in New Zealand. They tell mc they ate prepared to do sjryimmg that a servant wrodd be called on to wash, iron, oook, xiean windows; in. short, master all the unpoetieal details of a house -where profbaihly a mistress and one help represents the entire working , army.

There seems too, I noted, to be a. deeire to work in the country, and in that case' many a "woman on a lonely farm ■weuH, with her employee, get a companion- as welL ' -

The comnrittee are ifco be congrutulated on Btarting their scheme in Coronation year, when colonials -in thousands will be in England and aJble to personally choose a candidate.

It is probaible that the committee ViH shortly send ortt to earih colony an educated practical woman, who will insesti-. pate conditions of employment aoid aew openings for women, and 'wio will endeavour to establish a network of reliaible agents throughout the colonies..

The honoiary organisingr aecretary Is Mrs. John Buohan, of 13, Bryanstonetrert., W., and she telle mc that she win be deligiteii" to give any information concerning the work.