UNEMPLOYED WOMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21098, 4 February 1932, Page 8

UNEMPLOYED WOMEN.

ASSISTANCE FOR AUCKLAND.

GRANT OF £250 FROM BOARD.

WEEKLY PAYMENTS PROMISED

Funds for the assistance of unemployed women and girls in Auckland are lo be made available immediately by the Unemployment Board to enable the Auckland Unemployed Women's Emergency Committee to put into operation the scheme which it adopted last year. Advice to this effect was received by the Mayor, Sir. G. W. Hutchison, yesterday. The committee is lo received a grant of £250 at once and further sums of £SO weekly are to be voted until further notice.

Last year the committee's activities were considerably curtailed, as only £IOO was voted to it. by the Unemployment Board, said the Mayor. In view of the more liberal treatment now to be given arrangements had been made for a meeting of the committee to be held next week, when plans would be formulated for using the funds to the best advantage of those women who were unable to secure employment. It was possible, said Mr. Hutchison, that the proposal previously adopted, but abandoned through lack of funds, would be revived. This scheme included the opening of a work centre where instruction in dressmaking and cooking would be given. The register of unemployed women had been kept open continuously since last year and for some months past the committee had been assisted by the Y.W.C.A., which had carried on dressmaking classes on its behalf under the supervision of the officers of the Y.W.O.A.

The Unemployed Women's Emergency Committee was formed last year at a conference of social organisations convened by the Mayor. At that conference a general committee, representative of the social organisations, was set up, with the Mayoress as president and Miss E. Melville as chairwoman. The committee was subsequently recognised by the Unemployment Board as the official unemployed women's committee in Auckland, and two members, Miss Emerson, of the Labour Department, and Miss J. E. M. Spicer, of the Child Welfare Department, were added as the Unemployment Board's nominees.