DELIVERY OF BREAD

Grey River Argus, 30 January 1946, Page 7

DELIVERY OF BREAD

WOMEN SEEK RESTORATION OF SERVICE. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, January 28. The help of the Christchurch City Council in obtaining a restoration of bread deliveries, more particularly in hill areas, was sought by a deputation of Sumner women this evening. “Women in war time were conscripted into haulage and cartage, and now they ask to be demobilised; if they were paid they would have been demobilised long ago,” said Mrs. A. M. Spence-Clark, the leading speaker. The Council decided that a subcommittee should discuss the question with the master bakers. Mrs. Spence-Clark said the deputation was on behalf of the women of Sumner, particularly those with young children. Now that the war was over the women thought they had just about done their share of haulage and cartage, for which women were not built. Women of New Zealand were being reduced to the status of women in native countries who did the heavy work while men sat back. If they went for their bread no more than twice a week some women spent four hours a week, which at the rates for charwomen was worth 10s a week. Mrs. C. Guy said many women, after pushing a pram or dragging a child down with them to do the shopping, arrived back at their homes exhausted and still had their work to do. Now that the war was over they felt that peace-time privileges should be restored. They heard a lot about the 40-hour week for wageearners, who had their rights. Women had no awards and apparently few rights. Like women of the socalled backward races, civilised women were becoming the bearers of burdens.