WOMEN'S SHARE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 12, 14 July 1931, Page 9

WOMEN'S SHARE

UNEMPLOYED PEOBLEM

OFFER TO GOVERNMENT

On behalf of the women of New Zealand, the Parliamentary Watcli Committee of the National Council of Women to-day offered to members of the Government the. fullest possible assistance in an entteavoui-. to solve the problem of. unemployed women. The offer.was made at,a deputation to the Prime Minister..(tho- Eight Hon. G. W. Forbes), the-Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G, Smith), aiul'the Minister ,oi Health (tho Hou; A. J. Stallworthy). The deputation also suggested that a woman should be appointed to the, Unemployment Board. .The Prime- Minister thanked the deputation for the offer, and said that the Government realised that the assistance of women's organisations would be necessary now that women- were included, under, the unemployment legislation. The deputation was introduced by Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P. : , - -, Mrs. Suckling,-the. convener of the committee, referred' to the representative character of the National Council of Women. • The-deputation, she said, could speak, for at least 30,000 women. Mrs. Perynian said they realised that the. Government was doing its' best to meet the position. The-council felt that one of. the members, of the Unemployment Boarcl should be a woman, particularly as women were to be brought under ,the work of tho board. A woman's counsel and, advice would be-most, beneficial. .■-. Mrs. Stone-suggested, that 'the JSational Council of AVomen . should be asked to nominate a woman as a member of the board, as :the organisation was wholly, representative of the women of the Dominion. Mrs. Stone repudiated suggestions which had been made that the women of New Zealand were averse to paying a contribution to the cost of-providing employment. Miss England said the National Council of Women was recognised the world over as the mouthpiece, of women, and she suggested- that the organisation of the council might be used for dealing, with- the relief of unemployed women., A great deal'of time and expense, would thus be saved, as the-council's work would be entirely voluntary. The Minister of Labour said money had, previously .been available for the assistance of • women, but, the Government?s scheme had not been taken:up.

Mr. Smith, said he had, instructed his officers in, the various .cities that they were .'to/take a live interest in the formation, .of ; organisations .to deal with the case of women, but they were unable, to get the organisations going. The Prime Minister, in replying, said that he was indebted to the members of the deputation for the offer they had-made to the Government. It .was realised by, the Government that the position , in>'. regard',"; to" unemployed women .had to be placed on a bettor footing, and they'also recognised that if anything-useful were to be accomplished they would havo to have the co-operation 'of the '■ women's organisations. Up to•the present no definite policy had ben' formulated, but he was satisfied that they could-arrive at some clefinite plan which would result in the women being: placed in a much more satisfactory- position. So far as. the question of appointing a woman to_ the board was concerned, the Prime Minister said that up to the presont the Government had taken no steps to appoint the board. ■

Mr.' Smith said the Government realised that.now that -women were to, be taxed' they .'would have to havejan.increased share- in .the;work;of administration; " :'•■■ .-. .::\ y,~ .-. .