SYDNEY TELEPHONE GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 541, 23 June 1909, Page 3

SYDNEY TELEPHONE GIRLS.

.-;S-,:."■'._ Sy3iioyi : fias ';been.-,intere ; sting itself in.the ;y:/aorrpws.of',its'tolephone.girls,',and : these ap-■/v-pear pubiished Covidence to' a Postal c< Commission r :that;.'is, nbw.sittirig//According; evidence,; the :;,.;vptaff.yhas: with/tho'n.umber'of //:;' r; Bubscribersi/:so.:.tihati/nbw , .tho girls ; are/■:dis:;/ir,trpssihgly; ;^oyerworked.■;■ are' in' many,ways-oppressive';: and. : /tho , system/of.;fines':is.{an elaborate.one." > One )' -i'. I witness, stated -that-atteildants were very f re{/■^quetitlyJ ifiriedwfp'r,? trivial of.: the: > ; v-riiles,y/liko..makingX/tho/ slightest .verbal -de- ,/; parture to. sub.//scribers,;..;She:gave/ as."antexample ;the easo o-'/of-bnegirl/'who/through/a 'series of -fines for y/.-/trivia]: offences,■S'fotfndf'.wh'eh' she'came to fortnight, that : slie : ,'.''had.wprked"forbnly:4s.; 6d.vorie; week, and Is. ;-:?d.'/.the/..other../,Their.':a«sb.ciation was formed '-■'-:, m : - order : ,to:'combat the', inv;;' justices- experienced under a superior -officer, ', -t .who;had,.'h6wever,':been'since removed to'anS^/otter ; ; State. : :/He^;usy[ ; 'to/set/ traps; for ;thb grls,'.arid; victimised them : in many ways. .. e had; vowed 'that- ho -would "put the fear ;:;...of::God 'in the/hearts 'of the:girls:" - ; He did : ; smore,;thah:. thatj: ho >^put" the; fear of ; man" : ::-}-'y--'

/./v:Alli sorts'of ;;todd : /little r bits; of infprrbation .came;:out.iri.evide'nce, > ;and-one'man'putthe question./'-that.•'■■atj; times-, worries .every-'sub-' < scfiber: ''I-suppose; you /often' overhear veryconfidential- > conversations vbetween"sub- ■ Bcribors ?"? ; - ! "/Yes/'-;said -.the -girl, .faulty, long-distance lines we have/,to/ repeat•■;tho/. conversation 'from oiie subsenber.;..to,-; another,: and ■.:that, frequently .leads..to/.delicatp ; "situatioTi3,' as, for instance, in ■the. : :case; of : sa -^domestic;,quarrel." !',' You Jearnia.;goodimany-,secrets, then?" ■! "Oh ,-when.-;ive/hear'secrets-coming between : subDerS;;We_ : :pull : ; back'bur /levers; /and'don't ■Jisten,.'.';;.naively. : replied;'tho •witness. '■'■'". But know—you i'do 'pTCAear.f.secrets?'^ ; persistcd ,Mr, : Webster. ■■ii ■■-?, ;^ vres PoctHlie arid : k'eep : them,•,;-said,the.-girl/promptly.', /'So the Department/has/done; 1 what; rio brio'else"iirtho world ,ha| accomplished—made/a' woman keep L a;-secret t i.-'How-, dp' you .manage it—do vpu : :justcfprgefcwhat'you've-heardf"-' ; "Yes, just such' modestr i 'that/.the/.cpmm.issionysimply'had , ' to" believe■