WOMEN WORKERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1546, 16 September 1912, Page 3

WOMEN WORKERS.

DEMAND GREATLY EXCEEDS SUi'i'LY. The number of persons assisted by Uic women's employment branches of the Department of Labour last'year was 2-15, a slight decrease on the figures of the previous year, fallowing are the details for each'centre:—Wellington, G:IG; Auckland, USB; I'liristchureh. SIS; and Diincdin, 'JB3. The reports from the officers in charge all emphasise,the fact that tlirj difficulty of securing women _ workers grows more acute with each parsing year, and the bu.-iness transacted by the brunches is measured, by the number of applicants for work. With rare exceptions, the. Secretary for Labour states in his annual report, there has been work offering for all women callers, and newarrivals' from oversea have the choice of many positions on the day of landing in the Dominion.

The officer in charge at Auckland states that she was unable during the year to supply maidi for 1752 applications. "Tho future solution of the domestic problem," tho officer remarks, "undoubtedly lies largely v;ith the mistress herself. She can make tho conditions which will attract the girl of to-day to her home; and induce her to remain there. Domestic .service has become decidedly distasteful to many of our young women, hence, their preference for other work, which is both plentiful and at hand at remunerative rates. I am afraid the .mistress of the private home has not takeu these phases of the question seriously into consideration, otherwise there would have been <i better attempt on her part to meet the new type of girl now; coming into the labour market, who will accept only employment that is congenial to her. Much of the dislike to domestic work is due nlsq to the uncertain hours and irregular holiday periods." The officer in charge at Wellington plates that if'domestic workers were available at a reasonable remuneration the demand for their services would be quadrupled. Those employers able to pay'.JEl a week and more are meeting w.ith some measure of success; those able to pay only 10s. or 15s. per week have 1o go without help. Tho immigrants are not cdming in sufficient numbers to make any appreciable difference in the demand, and employment in factory, shop, and office seems to have greater attractions for both them and the local girls, owing to th-2 hours, wages, and holidays being define!!.

Officers in otlicr centres speak in similar terms of the difficulty of securing domestic servant;.

LADIES' OOLF.

The ladies' championship, of the Hutt Golf Club was brought to a conclusion on Saturday, and resulted in Miss Foster establishing herself a≤ club champion for tho year. The -linal between the chompion'and ex-champion, Mrs. Murphy, was a capital struggle, tho respective scores being 80 and 91. After being four down at the turn, Miss Foster played golf of a standard that would be hard to excel. She finished the imvard journey in 41, seven of the Woles being done in bogey and two up on her opponent. Tho various rounds resulted as follow:—

Mrs. Murphy beat Mrs. Rose, 7 up and G to piny. Miss L-'oster beat Miss Callendei, 1 up. Mrs. Murphy beat Mrs. Wagg, i up and 2 to play. , Miss Foster beat Mrs. Murphy, 2 up. • The final for the junior championship is to be pUyorl by Mrs. Gordon and Miss Stuart-Forbes.