Remuneration to Women.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 170, 17 July 1888, Page 1

Remuneration to Women.

lAn Auckland journal has been philosophising on the question as to why females should receive less in proportion for the work they do than is given to males. “We are,”ourcontemporary proceeds, “ absolutely convinced that in the progress of social advancement a time will come when such an anomaly will not be tolerated by the public will. The history of this question will be the history of a hundred before it, and by the silent force of invincible rightness it will yet be brought to pass that women will be paid, not in accordance with their sex, but in accordance with the work they do. For why is it that women (are paid less for their work than men ? It is not to be denied that they [are physically incapable in some cases of producing equal results ; but that is not the (reason, it is merely the excuse ; for the same treatment is dealt to them in cases where physical difference has no effect on the work to be achieved, of which an illustration is afforded in the case before us, that of teaching. Women go through the same duties as men in teaching, and are at least as successful, and certainly as a rule more conscientious. Then why are women not paid as much ? It is simply because they are taken advantage of. There are so few openings for female employment, in comparison with those enjoyed by men, that they crowd more impetuously to any door that is opened to them, and advantage is taken of this to offer them smaller remuneration. There is no other reason.”