UNEMPLOYED WOMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1932, Page 13

UNEMPLOYED WOMEN.

A meeting of the general committee of the Women's Unemployed Emergency Centre was held in the rooms of the old Newton school yesterday afternoon. ; Miss E. Melville, who presided, said the Lyceum Club's donation of £10 had been used to furnish the room with chains and a table, so that girls and women waiting had somewhere to rest, Another donation had supplied them with coal for a fire. A letter was received from the Rt. Hon. J. G. C'oates intimating that a further grant of £250 was being made available, and could be spent at the rate of up to £50 a week. The W.C.T.U. wrote stating that if the material was supplied they would make it up for unemployed women and girls in their sewing centres. The town clerk asked if the services of the unemployed girls in the 6ewing centre could be utilised to make undershirts and underpants for the men's camps if a bolt of flannel was supplied. After discussion it was decided to reply that the "iris were chiefly learners, and were as yet bueilv engaged in making clothes 'for themselves. Another letter was from a resident in the Waitakeres, if it was possible that the dead standing and lying trees in the reservations could be brought to the city by unemployed labour and utilised for firing under the supervision of the city ranger. Miss Flatt reported upon the registrations from April 4, which totalled 895; of these 137 had been placed in positions; and 1485 meals had been given to those in need. In speaking on the subject of registration, Miss Melville said that one of the weaknesses in the scheme was that the Government was liofc supplying work for women as it was foxmen, and also that many were elderly women, and some almost unemployable. It was her opinion that the centre should get a shop, free, if possible, and thus enable the women to sell any article which they made to the public. Objection was taken to this course by Miss Basten, who said that when fruit was sent in as gifts it should be given to those in need of food and made into jam to be sold. If only girls and women had felt it worth while to register she was afraid that the centi c was not in touch with the main body of unemployed women. Miss Cossey also spoke with feeling on the subject of selling work done by women who were paid 7/6 a week, as not in the best interests of the workers. The word "charity" should never be employed. Women workers were paying an unemployment tax to help their fellows, and this was not reaching tlicm as it should. Miss A. Walker inquired if the committee coukl think out some practical scheme for work for women, which could be laid before the Government. Both Sister Hannah and Major Gordon spoke in high praise of the work the centre was doing for girls and women out of work, and Mrs. Ruby Watson said that a woman she had sent to the centre had been supplied with a position. Miss Melville said that it was suggested that a stand-down period be tried and tliat the girls be employed 111 the centre in the first week for five days, the second week for three days, and tinthird week for two days. Tin's meant that each woman and girl would stand down five daye every tlirae weeks.