WORKLESS WOMEN

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20198, 28 March 1931, Page 16

WORKLESS WOMEN

QUESTION OP PROVIDING WORK. AN ORGANISATION FORMED. To discuss action to be taken to pro-vide-work for unemployed women and girls, a meeting was hold last night at the City Council Chambers. At the opening of the meeting the Mayor (Mr J", K. Archer) presided, and when he left to. fulfil another engagement Mr Gt Lawn was yoted to the chair, ; Kepresentatives were present, from the Hospital Board, National Council of Women, Women Teachers' Association, .Y.W.C.A., Christcburch } Unemployment Committee, Girls' Friendly Society, Home Service Society, Education Board, Training' College, Biscuit and Confectionery Employees' Union, s Tailoresses» Union, Hairdressers' Union, the Department of Labour, the Shop Assistants' Union, and the Hotel nnd Restaurant Employees' Union. Mr Archer said it was gratifying tc seo Buch a large attendance, as it indicated interest in the matter. There had been several groups of people acting independently with the same end in. View, but it was thought desirable that an organisation on . a large scale should be set up to deal with unemployment amongst women and girls. He had met with some pathetic cases, and no doubt others present "also, had niet with such, cases. In some instances girls had been out of work for quite a long time. .: Mr R. J. Ecroyd said that he had brought the matter under the notice of the newspapers, and had received a sympathetic letter from the Editor of The Press, who had suggested thai tho object sought to be attained could best be attained by some organisation. After consultation with Mr B. T. Bailey, it was decided to call -a' meeting to see if some scheme to alleviate the distress amongsi unemployed .women and girls could be devised. .... ' Mrs A. I. Fraor said that when she gave evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee she bad been' asked to get information as to ,the_ number "»f women unemployed, as such information might convince'the Minister for Labour of the necessity for including women under the- Unemployment Act.' On the motion "of, Mr Ecroyd, seconded by Mrs Frfier, it was deeded to. establish an organisation to deal with the question of unemployment amongst women and girls. Question of Registration., Mr R. T. Bailey (Labour Department) said that there sejemed to be an, idea' prevalent that women could not register -at the Labour Department,. -There were facilities at the Department of Labour for women out of work-to register. " Mr Archer said that they should make that iafojmatipa as .widely known as possible. , Jfrv Lawn said that there was no incentive; in the 'shape of the possiliil* Ity of work-bein'g provided, for women ] to register at the Labour Department, i It was. necessary to obtain information regarding the women and girls out of work so that a classified list could. Aio prepared. : | At this stage the Mayor and Mrs Archer left the meeting, and Mr Lawn j was voted to the chair. , t ■ :] Those present formed themselves into | a' General Compiittea, with, power - to add; and it was decided that the. flrtt work of the committee shoulds,T>e to get all unemployed women and^j|ir|slfo some discussion it •tofcdopt the Labour De^arfn&nt%-fMO' of registration, those registering! to,be; instructed that it was optional .whether they gave any other particular* thata: Name, address, age, occupation,, n»m A e of last employer, and hpw Jong .iraem* ployed* i» _)i.. .. « cards .are tobe supplied bers of which (consist - chiefly. of women tod girls, the Y.W.Q.A., and the Girls' Friendly Society. 'They ??ill be obtainable .also at the , Department., / . Executive tjommlttee.' . The. following executive was-eet up:— j). it,' McCombs, & L iFmer r « 7.-Sceeih, -Mi«a A. C. Finlaygon, Misft E, S; (general secretary; Y.W.C.A.), Miss E,\ Nolan -(Shop Assistants' Union), .Mrs E. Deniif and Mr I&T.-Bailey (Labour' Department), Messrs Nihil' (Hoxef* and' Restaurant Employees 1 \$,J Roberts (Tailoresaefift Lawn, A J, Ecroyd. , Tfoe wan, giy&p power to adfl tcj its number.. Mr ■R.' Tw Bailey /appointed sceretajry General, Committed and-; Miss Batt -of the executive., * ' j At a meeting nor thfrexeetytive* holds it fir^;meeting ' ilr. Bailey registration cards distributed, to . '"the 1 bodies already mentioned.