WAGES OF WOMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 May 1929, Page 10

WAGES OF WOMEN.

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK STATE RECOGNITION WANTED. MARRIED SCHOOL TEACHERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] GISBORNE, Wednesday. "That the principle of equal pay for equal work for women in every department bo recognised by the Government," was a remit from the Gisborne branch of the National Council of Women moved at the Dominion Conference of the council to-day by Mrs. H. J. Walker. Mrs. Walker said unequal remuneration was objected to as much by men as by women, since its imputed that women were given many positions at a lower wage which otherwise would have gone to men. In seconding the motion Miss Osborne, Gisborne, said the fault lay very often with the women, who were too apathetic to strive for their rights. Miss A. Basten, Auckland, suggested that the remit be altered to the following:—"That the council urges that the principle of equal pay for equal work for women in every department should be recognised by the Government." Miss E. A. Chaplin, Christchurch, said this had been a bone of contention in the teaching profession for many years. Once upon a time there was not an "M" and a "W" at the head of teachers' paysheets, but there was to-day. Mrs. E. J. Moore, Wellington, said efforts were made to combine men and women in the Post and Telegraph Department to secure equal pay for both sexes, but many of the women would not join the movement. The remit was carried. The Wellington branch forwarded tire following remit"That the council should approach the Minister of Education asking that marriage should not bo a bar to the employment of women teachers." Miss Osborne, Gisborne, asked if there were specific instances of employment being refused to married teachers. Miss Whitelaw, Dunedin, said no married women teachers were employed in Otago unless their husbands were injured or otherwise incapacitated from earning. Miss Ferner, Auckland, advanced the view that according to the law of the case any position should go to the applicant with the highest grading marks, whether man or woman. Should such an issue be taken to tho Courts she believed it would be so decided. Mi£s E. Melville, Auckland, said it cost the country a good deal to train each teacher, so why should not the State get the benefit of that preparation ? Mrs. J, Cook, Auckland, said the practice was occasionally abused. She knew personally of one case where the husband was very wealthy, yet his wife was employed as a teacher. The motion was carried.