WOMEN IN MEN’S JOBS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1919, Page 4

WOMEN IN MEN’S JOBS

OOVERNMESTDEPAETMEXTS.

SOLDIERS SHUT OUT.

A REPATRIATION QUESTION,

The retention of large numbers of girls and women in positions p.euously occupied by men who went to the war is a matter which has been considered by the Auckland District Repatriation Board, with special attention to Government Departments in Auckland says the New Zealand Herald. The result was that the Repatriation Department iu Wellington was advised of a case where the head of a Government Department in Auckland, employing women in positionsi previously held by men who had enlisted, has sil ted in reply to inqxtiries that he could hold out no hope of any openings for returned men: bpyond members of the staff. It was pointed out by the board that no reference had been made to the question of replacing women who had been employed during the war to do work previously done by men. The board iei.t thP-t the whole quest on was a very serious one from the repatriation point of view. It wa* common knowledge that in' all ■Government Departments the number of girls employed had increased enormously during the war, and the board felt that the quesiion of the retention or otherwise of these additional girls must speedily be fbced and dealt with by the Government. I* was usele% for the board to attempt to induce private employers to engage returned soldiers m place of girls if the Government itself wag not adopting that policy. The Board asked the Repatriation Deoarfment to submit to the Auckland Board a list of Government Departments in Auckland with names of all officials, male or female, occupying temporary positions, and the dates of the appointments. The board also suggested that the whole matter should be referred to the Ministerial Board, with a view of having a definite policy evolved which would! enlable the repatriation boards to properly discharge the country's obligation® to returning men v The "Denavtment replied that the Puo lie Service Commissioner had been a 1 ted to report on the point® raised, -md the commission was also nreparing a ySt of the names of all temporary public servants, with the dates of their ..ppomiments.