SUSTENANCE FOR WORKLESS WOMEN

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1936, Page 4

SUSTENANCE FOR WORKLESS WOMEN

MINISTER

AUCKLAND REQUESTS TO

* [Special to "Northern Advocate AUCKLAND, This Day.

The Minister of Employment, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, was met by a deputation from the New Zealand Working Women’s Movement yesterday, and was asked that provision be made for the payment of sustenance to unemployed women on the same terms as men, and that the Auckland Women’s Emergency Unemployment Committee be disbanded.

The Minister, who had previously had a 'conference with the members of the Women’s Committee, defended its actions, and this led to a heated discussion with Mrs M. B. Soljak, the leader of the deputation. “The Women’s Unemployment Committee in Auckland has proved itself totally incapable of handling such an important matter,” said Mrs Soljak. “We demand sustenance for women on the same terms as for men. We now see being rescusitated a committee of bourgeois women, who have always opposed labour, and for what purpose? To stand between the women voters of your party and the Government.”

“We want to do the very best we can for women and men alike,” said Mr Armstrong. “At the same time, I would like to ask whether all women would be prepared to pay the levy, for that is the way men qualify. One of the first things we will have to do when we start this equality business is to impose a levy, which Is not now paid by women. You can’t expect to get it both ways.”

' The Minister said he realised that, as with men, there would be a lot of v/omen not physically capable of earning their own living, and their position might be met by an invalidity pension. Some indication of the Government’s intentions in that direction could be expected shortly. That and other matters affecting employment had yet to be approved by the Cabinet.