WOMEN WORKERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 232, 13 September 1922, Page 5

WOMEN WORKERS.

UNFAIRNESS OF EQUAL PAY. FEW SUPPORT OTHERS. London, Sept. 11. Professor Edgeworth, president of the economic section of the British Association, discussing equal pay ior the sexes, said that if all restriction and competition between the sexes were removed the average weekly earnings of men would be considerably higher. He doubted the truth of the contention that two-thirds of the women wage-earners maintained others. Mr. Seebonm Rowntree’s recent investigation proved that only twelve per cent, of women supported others. Most men supported families, therefore it was not unreasonable that they should have an advantage. When one party was subject to unequal deductions equal pay for equal work no longer appeared to be equitable. Doubtless there would have been much exaggeration of evidence that when wives earned husbands idled. A woman inspector had remarked, “I almost agree with the social worker who said if a husband were out of work the wife should sit down and cry, because if she did anything else the husband would remain unemployed.” A simple plan for the endowment of children would be for the union to contribute to a fund to be distributed among wives in accordance with the size of families. Bachelors and childless husbands should bd persuaded to support the fund, from which they might hope one day to benefit as fathers. The contribution might be based on actual earnings rather than the legal minimum wage.—(A. and N.Z.)