Women cannot earn enough to study

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32522, 4 February 1971, Page 6

Women cannot earn enough to study

Female students earn an average of $l5O less than their male counterparts during the four-month university holiday period in New Zealand, according to the New Zealand University Students* Association. The society suggests that this is perhaps the main reason for the predominant number of males studying in New Zealand Universities. The president of the association (Mr D. Cuthbert) said in Christchurch yesterday that according to surveys carried out by Mr L. Wright, the education research officer of N.Z.U.S.A., 72 per cent of the total student body were males and 28 per cent females, and the ratio was in no small part a reflection of the greater earning power of men. Mr Wright’s survey also showed that women accepted

seven times as many bonded teaching bursaries as males and Mr Cuthbert suggested that this was because it was the only way women could finance university studies. “This of course could be why numerous problems are always arising with many bonded students,” Mr Cuthbert said. Mr Wright gained his information from two surveys during which he interviewed one in eight students on their income and expenditure. Mr Cuthbert said the association would campaign for equal opportunity for women students make submissions to the recently-announced commission of inquiry into equal pay. In addition the association was concerned with the salary differentiate on the age basis and would campaign for equal pay for students of both sexes under the age of 20.