THE TELEPHONE GIRL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 3

THE TELEPHONE GIRL.

In yi Wellington, there is no ono who is, impersonally, inoroi hardly :spoken of, than the;.girl whoso duty 'it is 'to. say pleasantly, for;:, hour 3 •at'. 'a time: "Number, 1 please K Tho most good-natured man • in town.'becomes unpbilosophically angry, as he waits -with ;tho-receiver at his ear 'for' his call to be acknowledged, and in-his mind there is probably a vivid picture of tho girl at the other end reading Mario Corelli, or' chattering with.her.-matcs, chcerfully oblivious of | his- call. And-yet (as an American magazine points■ out)- no work- is: more -nerve-taxing | than the telephone girl's* ~- ' '.-• ■■>!' ... .-| '■■■ . company in- Toronto .had 1 ; a. strike,"'-' says'.tho magazine in question. "Tho Dominion Government sent . special, commission /to ■ Toronto' to, study.it,-aijd, there was then' secured tho one authoritative document now in' existence with regard to nerve strain in itelephone v.ork, on this side of the Atlantic, it'. wa3,: tho. testimony of twenty-six of the most competent-and-the most experienced doctors in\the city. ;. The girls, mado ,no complaint ab-jut '• physical surroundings. i-The wholo question .was one of. strain .•aiia_ hoyrs. Almost ivitiiout''exception, the ; medical witnesses strongly- condemned:. the .''.system, then"in voguo' at "tho [ Toronto exchanges. That, system was a fiveliour - continuous - high-pressure shift, -with 1 occasional overtime. - It: does- not sound excessive. . For/a-.non-medicalYman to call a five : hour -;day. 'in any. -.trade excessive,, would he.unwise,''because he would not be .believed. -But', this is , what- some'of tlie doctors'said :—

Dr. '.13ritt6ni' j'n ' practice for; 31 3 ears,: f of ,' .Toronto, / .Medical; Couticil:: "Many telephone girls suffer, from 1 nervous debility, occasioned by the strain of. the work. ' Eire! hours,'in; t tho'"conditioni' stated is a great, deal too much ; and, where, .there "is: delay.in,'giving' necessary.-relief, 'it. is exceedingly dangerous. In a: number .or cases'.-'of, young ladies' I'-have known (as the ! physician -of the family) they were apparently,, healthy before they entered tho. service of the telephone company, but after a longth of service,. I- have "had-to prescribe •for them-.- for; -various .types of : nervous debility." ~ ~,. ' ■ ■' '• . Dr. William Oldngh, m practice for yoars, Professor ot-.Hvgieno in Toronto-"Uni-versity, staffed teacheft f. aT&iiiot supposed.- to'-'teach; more,-than tfivo" hours a day in .tho. city; and telephone work: is more I strenuous and harder on-.the merital 3 system than- teaching.?' •• -' -' ' : . '.y 1 / Dr. i James Anderson,, m. practice' for.'2o years, taid:—"l have-, treated a - number" of telephone girls; mostly for eye troubles, I'headache,-''and 'nervous ;strain: '. After Vseri vico of three or four years I ; would expect I to find an exhausted. womanhood:"

Of courae, conditions differ./' hours in'tho Toix)nfo Exchan'go may..bo-'raore r tryUi'g; thaii the six hours .with- a break,: that is allotted "to "tKo girls "in' Wellington,' but, oven so;- those "suggest -/that there may' beyquite -as much -stralii ind. 'justification for.impatience at]the exctiange end of -'the wire,'-"as: at-\tho subscriber's; ;-

An : Appeal • to Ladies.—Bowaro . of ttiounhealthy hair pad, full of jwhich means detxth. to-the hair.'' Call for advice, free, re: the latest'.London stfccesS in thi'i hygienic natural ihair-pad. ■: It is featherweight 'and cool. •' Ladies - and gentlemen treated ■ and 'taught head massage, 'tho only -means of 'possessing healthy, thick, hair. Face 'maissage, .delightful shampooing, .clipping, manicuring, electrolysis, hair-dressiug, hair-work of ( every . description. Miss Milsom, King's Chambers (next" Empire Hotel), Willis Street. ' Telephone 81-1. / -i, ■ Tho death is announced' Hastings' of Mr. . John Petrio,. a native of" Edinburgh, who for many years was associated ,with journalism ill that city. He held 1 the'.post of; chief reporter on the staff of ,-.tho, "Daily ■•Review." • About twenty-five ago; lid■ went to' London. --•/ •■ . "-V? b.'■ >- ■•:'

HUTT AND PETONE: NEWS, (FROM OUR SrECIAL RErOItTEB.). -

' THE ELECTIONS. MORE LIKELY CANDIDATES. .. /Only two nominations for. the elections of next week : have so far been lodged,, and these arc both foj* tho Lqwer Hutt election, At noon 'to : day nomination's .close with the Hutt' returning i officer (Mr.' P. R;. Purserj, hut nomination papers for the Petone'election may be lodged with Mr. A. Webster *.up-to noon'to-morrow.-

. The two nominations' handed in are : For tho Hutt Mayoralty,' William Henry; Russell, nominated by Thomas Alexander Peterkin, Georgo A. ; Chapman, John Cudby, William .Hfeuclry, and Georgo Bowers p and 'for the Hutt Borough Council, Edmund Hayes, nominated by Johii" Cudby and J: O'Sullivan: CouncillortH. Baldwin .-has received a requisition from ratepayers, and has decided to-be a candidate for the Hutt Council. In response to numerous' requests, Councillor M. Hodgins has made up his' mind to-seek rc-clcction.' .. .• V -. • •.. .. .

Other likely candidates/for the Hutt are: Mossrs. J. -11. Kingdon, J. L. Barlow, Dr. Anson,' W. A. Mowbray, jun., G. F. Pearce, and'-Georgo'Maule. r,

; Ks-Councillor J. : Piper will probably ,be ,a candidate for I'etono Borough Council, and I tho-.iiames •of Messrs. H. , iindlay and T. Townsend have also' been-mentioned. . LOOKING BACKWARD. • At tho Lower liutt Mayoral election of April '24, 1007, tlicro wero three candidates, and tho polling resulted: A. 1 -B.' Clark, 127 l l '. do J. Clere, 258; T. A. Peterkin, 527 ; (elected). The figures' in-. connection with the council olection were: ■H. Baldwin; C 49 (elected) ;> G. E. 'Groig, 565 (elected)';'. "William Hobbs, 416; -C. E. • Hollard, ' '558 (elected); .William'' 1 G. Hutchison,' 482 (elected); William 'S. , Judd,' (elected); J. O'Sullivan, .497 (elected/; F. Ross, 573 (elected); W.-'H., Russell;- 678 ;(elt'ctes); J. Ward, 501 (elected); C. H. AVildsmith, 431. In July, 1907, a' by-election was: liecessi-. .tated through the retirement -of- Councillor G. Jtititchison, and C. -H. '."Wildsmith,. with 195-votes, was elected to the vacancy., 'lho other candidates were A. Y.. Lees, ,122; A. H. Vile, 99; and AY. JoneSj 85. Another election was held in November ■of the same year, when: Councillor G. E. Greig retired. 'Jho election:resulted; M. . J.. Hodgins,- 225 (elected); Georgo Bradley, 134; and Edward. Fisher, 112. On last, Councillor CE.' Hbllard resigned l his seat, 'and VW. i ' EiHughes was- elected ; .with/; 349 . votes, ns agairtst 208 polled by A.' H. Vile,- In, April, 1903, ' Mr; ' .'IV :A:. 'Peterkin was' returned; unopposed as Mayor, for , another ; tevmV

- In ; ;Petone', the 1907' Mayoral 'election Tidd ■tho'fdlloffjng result Join William.M|Ewan, 684 (elected); and Richard, 1 MdtheSj 363. The statistics of the council election' are':—A. Coles, 792 (elected); ' It. -W. Short;. 766 (elected); W; •' B.'< Nicholson, .722;• (elected): Dr.:H; W. L. Harding, 684' (elected) •; Robert Francis Smilih, 627 (elected); William .George Lodderj 619 (elected); Robert J. Southgate, 615■ (elected); J. G.'A. Castle,;s6B (elected); lArckibald . Cclquhouri, 536 (elected) ; H. G; Young', .530R.' M. Wakefield, 450: ,E. W. Woodhousq, 826; C. H. Gough, 301. In April, 1908, Mr. J.' Mayor, was elected.'unopposed.. ■; ■ v-'- ' For. the Lower Hiilt"district;' the roll (including' supplementary riames)>"numbers 2100, and .there : a.ro 2498 names on; thd roll -mado up • in. P.etone' Borough for .'the 1 coming election. . "V" : '-i-JT'- -