THE GIRL ON THE JOB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 June 1924, Page 2

THE GIRL ON THE JOB.

QUESTION OF WOMEN WORKERS. ARE THEY ‘'ROBBING” MEN? VARYING OPINIONS EXPRESSED. The refusal of the Auckland City Council to give a motor bus conductor’s license to a young woman wno was apparently eligiole in every respect ‘excepting that she was “a female person’' aroused a controversy that appears to be at its zenith (says the ■Auckland Star). There are those who condemn the action of the counci, and those who warmly support it. The former maintain that in the modern world women are entitled to any job they tan hold—that the question of “dignity” cannot be accorded consideration in the matter of honest labour. Others contend that women must first of all consider tlieir life and actions as women; that it is unwomanly io invade man’s “'sphere” ; and that there are altogether too many women who are filling positions which should properly he held by men. > A Star representative made inquiries of several employers. It was noticeable that those emoloying girls ancl women spoke in favour of female workers in tiie field of commerce, and that chose who did not were greatly . gainst tiie woman wage-earner. ““In my opinion,” said a well-known* merchant, “the -ordinarily intelligent, business-educated gi ct is competent to hold any ordinary business job—and this covers a wide lange. A: ter * ery long and comprehensive expe? ier.c?, I have found that the woman typist, clerk, bookkeeper, secretary, counterhand, or other office or store woman, has quite satisfactorily filled her position, and, in very many >.nses, has proved a better ‘man’ than the man. Almost invariably she is honest. She is always reliable. She is conscientious in that she tric-s to give full \alue for what she is paid. She is not so fond of change as the men. You wiil see men. always on the look-out for a fresh job, just because they want to -wander somewhere else. Women stick to their jobs, get fond of ihem. take pride in them, and only leave them li r the inducement of marriage.” Other employers of ’ female labour spoke much in the same strain. One of them declared that he wouldn’t have a man about the place during his absence. “As soon as your hack is turned,” he said, ““the young fellows (T am not referring to the steady worker of years) pull out their cigarettes, take a walk round—and sometimes make a break for the nearest ‘pub’ to tell each other their opinions of the boss. Well, I find that the women do their work just as well when I am away as when I am here.” “That’s all stuff and nonsense about the girls stopping to paint and powder their cheeks and their noses,” said another employer. “There’s not a. girl in this place who can’t,do- her work, and do it well. And there’s not one job I’ve got a girl in that any man could do better.”