WOMEN SETTLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 10

WOMEN SETTLERS

Lady Cecil has been most pleasant in the references she has made to Now Zealand. Her praise has been generous and she hjy refrained wholly from criticism. This does-not indicate, however, that she shut her eyes to facts while she travelled through New Zealand. On the contrary, her references to tho work of educated women immigrants show that she judged the position correctly. As yet the number of such women who have come to New Zealand has not been great; and certainly more eonld be placed if they camo here with a proper understanding of tho work awaiting them. Lady Cecil's remarks suggest that.she will contribute to that understanding. We need women workers of character and capacity, mainly in the homes. In offices, factories, and professions, New Zealand ggirls can supply all that is needed, and newcomers must be prepared for competition. But there is scope for women who will be prepared to undertake domestic duties and are capable of doing so. Possibly the question of status is the greatest obstacle to the provision of competent help; but that should not be an insuperable difficulty to women who are both' educated and willing to work. Qualification for service as ladyhelp, however, calls for attention to both halves of the title. It has been the unfortunate experience of some New Zealand housewives that some applicants'for such position are ladies by courtesy and no help at aIL The educated women of whom Lady Cecil speaks are not among these; but the facts concerning others illustrate the difficulties of the problem.