COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 3

COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS. MATTER OF HOSPITAL FEES. The matter of unemployment among women was again a leading subject at a meeting of the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women held last evening, and disappointment was expressed by eome of the members that apparently so little had been done to mitigate its stress. The president, Sliss E. Slelville, presided. A letter was received from the Manufacturers' Association thanking the council for the interest it was taking in the matter of upholding New Zealand-made goods and stating that further steps were being taken to inculcate in the minds of retailers and the general public a more thorough knowledge of these goods. Railway Dismissals. The secretary of the Railways Board in answer to a resolution from the council protesting against the dismissal of women typistes and telephone operators, gave reasons for the board's action in this respect. The point was emphasised that these dismissed women employees were members of the temporary staff and the department had had to terminate the services of a very large number of employees who were on the male temporary staff owing to loss of revenue. The point had been reached where further adjustments to revenue would have involved retrench- j ing the permanent staff and the board had J felt that before undertaking retrench- ! ments of that nature it was bound to take | cognisance of the female temporary staff i as it had done of the male temporary j staff. It had been with the greatest re- | luctance that this had been done and only 1 under stress of urgent necessity. A condensed report was read from the j Dominion secretary, Miss Flatt, embody- j ing the main points in the monthly re- ! ports of activities received from most of the branches. The report was particularly interesting in that it disclosed the fact that several of the branches were working simultaneously at the same social reforms without having had previous cog- , nisance of the fact until they made their | reports. Unemployment Remits. The following remit bearing upon unemployment among women was passed;— "That in view of the fact that women are. being directly taxed under the Unemployment Act of 1931 the definite claim of unemployed women to consideration should bo recognised." Miss Carnachan, who was asked for an opinion upon the subject in the discussion that arose, said that the Women's Unemployment Committee had met and had drawn up a report which had been presented to the Unemployment Board. This report was now under consideration. Miss Carnachan added that unforeseen delay had occurred owing to the change of Slinistere and portfolios. Another resolution bearing upon the same problem was to the following effect: —"That the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women is greatly concerned at the delay in bringing forward any Government plan for the comprehensive relief of women's unemployment. We ask the Government to treat the matter as one of extreme urgency and to announce its intentions -forthwith in regard to (a) the allocation of funds, and (b) practical schemes to provide work to relieve women's unemployment. The National Council again assures the Government that it will have the ready assistance of the women's organisations throughout the country in the carrying out of any plans so formulated." In discussing the resolution Sliss Bentham said that so far as she could learn there was less being done in Auckland for unemployed women apart from what was. being done through private agencies than in any other city in the Dominion. The' resolution was carried, and will be forwarded to the Dominion secretary for i transmission to the Government.

A remit was received from the Society for the Protection of Women and Children asking the endorsement of the council in its protest against the increase of fees at St. Helens Hospital from £3 -to £5 ss. The remit was passed and the matter was also referred to the social service committee for further investigation in various directions.