WOMEN'S WAGES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 15

WOMEN'S WAGES

AND RENTED ROOMS BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY At Ihe Nt",v South AYales Heard U'Trade lnquiiy concerning women's wages last week, a Iniiv memlx'r <>;' ihe mediee! psufcssion, who ;i'!;c;l that her name would no! in; disclosed, staled sli; had 'nasi considerable experience aiiioitg-l pupils of primary public schcok She found that in the infant w.-lioob tiiere was pre.'.-tic-niiy no ililference in the phy-'ii|Ue and mentality of hoys m.d girls up (•:> lheir eulraisce into the pubic scho::'. Froia I hen on io Ihe leaving nsv c! !' or J(i the difference between Ihe l.oys am! girls, h(ul» in reg.ird lo physical ■•■!."en'jl!i and men!,iliiy, was marked and progrtiisive. This she attributed to the fact liiai the bays had I'sno for recreation ntier school hours, wliiis.il Ihe girls iiad lo help with lo'jno-lio duties. This >vh- carried on ii.ii) the industrial Hie. When a girl had lo do her own washing and irciiing and cooking ah her rooms niter w.irkicg hours she carried ihe fatigue of the work tig day over Ihe weck-eml. lY.iiyne was a form of i ell poisoning, and was progressive, and this continual work ir-i iuwiriob'y io- s phy.-fcnl :e-

iomiuemlcd llial the minimum wage fhou'ii include provi-ioo for week-end I'-ei ee,ti:m aud relaxation in Ihe shape of theatres i.r pieiurc shoi.s-, also .i". annual holiday of r.i lea'l scvii da vs. in regard to clothes, it was cssr-nlia! Hint '•'iris should be decently bur cot elaborately dres-eil. Girls were victims of their nervous system far more than beys, and clolhiv had a decidcd cffec-l on a girl's mentality, and she oii'lVred •.•.hen she felt shabbily dressed. It nb'oliile'y i'"i e--'.",ry fhe I a girl :eicu!d be eliie lo proy'dc i'f.ieienl dental treat went, but in regard to Ihe eyes free freaimenl could f-e had from Ihe opticians in the Sydney. Prince Alfred, and oilier ho*ni'a!s. There was grave ihieger of wonnn winkers becoming inefficient'—or of losing (heir ollic'oiicv for ■:> lime—during the critical nerioil the ages of 'lo and 511. H: was, therefore., of importance that some sort of insurance should be provided for unemployment daring this period, as well asi for the total dValiility to follow laier. S

Aliw J fir.dies, organiser for Ihe TTolel, Cluh. and RMaurant Waitresses' I'nion, recalled, said Unit; of tho LTiOO members of her iiii'-m fully ft.") per cent, lived in rooms. That, was an allowance fur meals was inelurled in their nward. .t|,r-:. Alary Dcnsy, a nar'inghurst beardinghouse-kreper. said that she had a decided objection to take girls, as they were far more trouble than men. They were more at home than men, nnd were alway ; ; cooking or using gns for wasl'.ing and ironinir. and they could not elford lo pay for the extra gas. She would not take girls <h lodgers any cheaper than men, and she would always give men Ihe preference.