HOUSEWIVES’ PETITION

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 December 1944, Page 5

HOUSEWIVES’ PETITION

DIVISION OF INCOMES. Sixty-six thousand working housewives have signed a petition demanding an equal share of their husbands’ income and home, which has just been presented to the House of Commons, says the “Daily Sketch.” '“Such a division is not only justice to the housewife, but in many cases it is also fairei’ to the husband,” said Mrs. Ann Frazer, one of the organisers of the Women for Westminster Association. “Women want to be their husbands’ partners—on equal terms. All bills, rent, household expenses, income tax and other financial obligations should be met before the income is divided. “But what is left over —what one might call the net income—belongs equally to husband and wife. If they are both working their resources are pooled and the same division takes place. So;if the wife is fortunate enough to earn more than her husband he will benefit by the new system. Most wives would prefer him to. At present, in (many working-class homes, the husband hands over his entire wage packet the moment he gets in. His wife then doles him out his pocket money. Under the 50-50 plan he will probably fare better than hd does now?’ -