WORK FOR WOMEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12423, 12 February 1901, Page 2

WORK FOR WOMEN.

CLERKS AND BOOK-KEEPERS. PROSPECTS IN CHRISTOHURCH. In Ch/ristjchmrab, it ifiroimi inquiries made by -a represemtaitive of this journal, there is an increasing desire on the pact of women to become clerks amdi book-keepers, and to occupy other positions in. offices. Mr W. H. Gundry, president of the Incorporated Institute of Aecoiuitants- of New Zealand, states that, according to his experience, women make excellent clerks and book-keepers, but they never attempt to reach the higher branches of .accountancy, whore a knowledge of law is essential. " There is, however, no reason why women should not study mercantile law, andl reach the higher branches of the profession," he says, " and I think that they! would be as successful in this direction, as some of thean havo been in law and 1 medidme. What many of the women who go in.to\ offices lack is practical experience." Mr Gundry added that at the present time.there,is a.constant demand for 'experienced and competent bookkeeprs at salaries of from £l5O to £2OO a year. In nearly all the large. draipery firms in the coloir.y girls or womeni are employed in the offices. Several of tile head's of offices in Christchurch were interviewed! by the reporter, who was informed tha* practically countless applications were nia.cte by girls for positions as clerks. In book-keeping, "dissecting," and similar routine work,' they get on very well, but seem to Jack initiative, the reason given being that they have not sufficieint self-confi-dence. "They go straight on, -with- their work from start to finish.," a. (head book-keeper •remarked, " and if you set. them to do a certain thing they will do it 'well, as their minds are not out on the football field or the cycling track. On. the whole, they axe much more painstaking, than are men. We do not,, -however, put amy responsibility on. them. Women are decid'el'ly at $. disadvantage on account of, their inexperience. They do not rub 'shoulders with the world'. The result is that they fail to .pick up a lot of useful information which cannot be obtained b} r means of 'books or lessons. What we ask for in., the office is quickness of movement andTbrightness. Neat penmanship is, of course, essential, but we do not care about a 'copper-plate' hand. We look rather to celerity and clearness. Some of the girls in the office write shorthand and use the typewriter, and make themselves useful.in that way." The wages, it seems, start -at 5s or 8s a week, and rise to £1 or £1 5s .a week, but seldom go over that, unless very exceptional ability is shown. A high'salary for a lady clerk, or even a fairly high one, seems to be a rarity. In this respect the girls im the offices are in a worse position than those behind tlie counter. The former have only one path to walk, the latter have many, and) some of these may lead to very good salaries. A girl behind the counter, for instance, may develop special ability for (bat-trimming, and may look forward to receiving aw income of about £3 a 'week; or she may take a liking to some particular lino of merchandise, and following up her. bent, become an. expert, and receive an expert's remuneration. In one establishment in Christchurch, girls are : placed ini the office for a certai.ni time, so that they may be prepared, by discipline and so forth, for a place behind the counter. In nearly all large draipery>stahlishments, head dressmakers receive .princely incomes compared with -those of girls and women in the offices. In one drapery establishment hero the head dressmaker receives thf highest salary in the business, except that of the manager. • Several of those who were interviewed strongly advised mothers -not to send their girls to offices to earn a living. For girls who aro determined'to ;enlist in the'army of., clerks, -the -advi-co. is to study the •higher, branches, ibs- diligent, and, above -aE, lose no opportunity of, gaining experience and observing methods adopted .in' different houses.. /_j