Single Women

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31378, 25 May 1967, Page 12

Single Women

Sir,— Many will have been interested in the article "Problems Faced by Single Women,” recently printed on your women’s page. It is well known that single women are at a disadvantage in their careers: even if they are more capable than their male counterparts, they generally find that there is “no room at the top.” It is less well known that single women are at a disadvantage, as compared with childless widows, when it comes to social security, or that a single woman must pay interest at 2 per cent higher than a married person on a State Advances loan, even if she is responsible for the care of parents. When such facts are put beside the Information (also recently published in your columns) that 327 positions for graduates in the State services are open to male graduates only, it does seem that there still remains plenty of room for improvement in the position of women in New Zealand. It would do no harm if more women more often raised their voices on the subject.—Yours, etc., HELEN GARRETT. May 23, 1967.