HOSTELS FOR GIRLS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16271, 23 July 1918, Page 2

HOSTELS FOR GIRLS.

ACUTE POSITION IN WELLINGTON.

The lot of girls and youths earning I small salaries and boarding "in ton is in these days hard. Some 01 tne young women have the hardest time/ llie Teachers' Institute discussed the matter last week, with special reference to girls in the teaching profession. • Miss Aitciieson moved: "That the question of the establishment of a hostel for women is worthy of consideration."' In support of the motion alie spoke of the need for hostels for gir'.s choosing a studious career, not only teachers, but girls in other walks of life. In the country the lot of the young teacher was extremely hard because of tJie lack of suitable accommodation. If girls were to be sent to the country they should first of all have a period in the towns under experienced teachers, and in any case it should be part of tho Education Board's duty to 6ee that accommodation suitable was provided. Good living conditions were essential if girls were to work well. For this many girls craved just as much as for increases of salary. Miss Williams said that girls could not get suitable board at reasonable rates. Some had to put .up with rooms merely, without board, and sho had heard of girls being asked as much as 30s a week for a room alone. Mr Hopkirk said that the Government was responsible, and that tho Government should take steps at once to supply the crying need for accommodation for women. The Government had brought to the neighbourhood of Wellington camps, and had thereby set up conditions which made it hard for many people to live. Miss N. E. Coad said that it seemed to her that young women were not thought of in regard to the amenit'es of life. All the care was for "our boys." She did not see what there j was to prevent the Government estab- ' lislung a fine building like the Y.M.C.A. institution, run on the same lines, in which young women cpuld obtain board and lodging. She would like to i-ee the motion go a little farther. She could not see why the institute shomd not take a big house and set up a hostel, or if that were impossible, they might at least establish a clubroom.

Miss Bright said that the lot of :he young woman in lodgings was extremely hard. The minimum rate for board nowadays was 303 a week, and after this rate had been paid there was little 1 left out of a girl's salary of £120 a year.' Sonifc of these girls were so hard pressed financially that they had to do without meals sometimes in order to meet extraordinary expenses. She did not agree with Miss Coad that the girls..were being treated worse than the young men. The young men were all being sent away. Miss P. Myers said that the problem was one which bad for long interested her. She was of opinion that no young teacher should be sent into l he country unless suitable accommodation were provided. In any case, teachers out of the Training College were not old enough to go to the country. Teachers who vvere distressed by their living conditions were not fit to .lo their very important work. Mr Haslam said that he would advise the institute to ask only for a hostel for teachers. It was* not possible under present conditions for the Government to provide accommodation for all tha young women in Wellington needing accommodation. He would suggest that the institute might be able, if no hostel were available, or no scheme of that sort possible, to find accommodation for young women in suitable homes. Miss Aitcheson said that she had never contemplated that one hostel would suffice." What was intended rather was "'hostel accommodation." Tbe motion was carried. The effect of this resolution is that the Management Committee of the institute will consider the 'matter and takq such action as may seem desirable.