WANGANUI WOMEN'S POLITICAL LEAGUE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12120, 14 March 1895, Page 3

WANGANUI WOMEN'S POLITICAL LEAGUE.

* — — A meeting of the above was held in the Borough Council Chambers last evening, when the vice-President's reßolution re women and the Civil Service wcs fully discussed. In introducing it that lady explained that more definite information as to the attitude assumf d I y the present Government on the question of women's tight to Stato emplojmerifc bad necessitated some alteration in its wcrding. When she gave notice of her intention to move in tbe matter she was un-'t r the impression that two, or at mo3t three, State departments were open to wompf. On further it quiry, however, she had learned tbat woman were now employed in at leas, kve departments ; besidas which the appointment of several women inspectors and postmistresses showed that the pres?nt Government had fairly grasped the fact that in apportioning Government work there should be no question of sex, but only of capacity. Of course no sane Government would continuo to employ incompetent servants, nor wou'd any sane person urge such a course; but she was glad to be able to inform her hearerß that the efficiency displayed by the young women first employed had encouraged the authorities to throw Ihe gates a little more ajar. For instanco, sho was astured that the present held of the PuMic Trust Department had carried from the General Post Office suoh a high opinion of feminine capacity, derived from his experience of female clerks there, that he had introduced them into the department under his charge, with the most satisfactory results. The speaker trus'el that the good work would go on until all departments of the State would be equally opon to both sexes. 1 his brought her to the crux of the resolution, viz , the s ction of it recommending equal pay for similar woru. This was a matter of Btich importance that she trusted they would not rest until the principle had been recognised and generally adopted. As a matter of fact here was to be found tho origin of male opposition to feminine competition, Men feared, and not altogether without reason, that in the labour market they would bo undersold by thoir sisters. Some excuse must be msde for those women who, in their endeavour to obtain a foothold, consent to work te'ow current rates, but one's sense of justice revolts at the action of them who impose this necessity upon then- j and it is quite certain that unless the evil iB nipped in the bud the labour problem, intensified by every addition to the industiial army, will shortly I ecome insoluble. Men naturally object to anyone pulling down wog6e. If they could be snre that women would not reduce the wages standard they would view with less alarm their invasion cf tbo lal our markets. But unfair competition, they have a right to object to, and it is truly unfair to assht in breaking wages This being so, the duly of moving in the matter Iccame imperative. Much has been said by ctu3ted Tories in depreciation of paternalism in Governments ; but the speaker believed in Government paternalism, and thought a Government failed of its duty unle6B it fulfilled tho pait of a wise, just and provident father by placing the true well-being of the community above all other considerations whether of class interest or of departmental cheeseparing, Clearly it was no part of a Government's duty to wink at, much less to assist in the reduction of current rates of pay. Therefore the speaker bad regretfully noted that though the authorities had Btowntrue Liberalism in recognising woman's right to a fuller ihare in Slate employment, they bad made to' alteration in the pernicious system thev found in opeiation iu the tbeEducation Department, of underpaying female employees. On the contrary they hod introduced that bad pracltce jnto the depaitments now thrown open, and i»here they' pay' a boy cadet .£6O per annum they pay a girl .£4O. Now what wqild this lead to ii allowed to go on? Clearly tho elimination of men from the Civil Service Woman's capacity is no longor in question. It has been tested Bid found mire tkan iqual to ordinary routine wcrk. The avetage girl has boen found as capable as the average boy Further training will develop greater faculty until it is found that there Is no position hardly but jvhat a woman can fill with credit to herself and benefit to tbe State. If, then, she had been trained to do the same work at a loiver rate of pay than hu- male coadjutors, nothing is moie certain than their dismissal and her retention whenever retrenchment becomis tho order of the day. Either that, or thoy must accept the female scale of ienut:err.tion. Now this would be an evil of such moanitudo that all differences of opinion should be E.unk in the endeavour to avert it. Advccatts of the supremacy ,of man sh- uld unite ■with exponents of the rights of woman. Both sexes and all classes thould combine to place this matter in its proper light before the authorities. Tho present Government had proved its desire to further the beßt interests of Ibepaople.and would ceitainly not refuse to coneider fairly any reasonable representation ; therefore the speaker hoped tbat the resolution would be carried by a substantial majority, and that advantage would bo taken of tbo Premier's visit to bring the matter at once under lhe notice of tho head of tbe Government. ... t . "■ Tbe motion waR seconded by tno ~^ Treasurer, Mra H. B. Williamton, who Strongly urged the more rapid admission of girl cadets into tho clerical departments of the Civil Service, in" which, sho contended, there wns no work beyond the capacity of the average girl, provide d she possessed the requisite elucr.tional attainments, With regard to equality of pay the emphatically supported the remarks of Ibe mover. Nothing could be mere unjust tban that wortt should be underpaid merely because it was performed by • a particular sex, and Bhe fully endorsed the hope expressed that such representations should be made to the authorities, that in State departments, at all events, work should be recompensed according to its valuo, independent altogether of the question of sex. Miss Stedman supported the resolution because Bhe believed in tho jrinciplo of ■' equal pay for equal work," but personally she was not anxious to see any great influx of women into the Civil Service. MrsNoffCombe warmly supported tho principle of equility of pay, arguing that if weman consented to receivo less remuneration for similar wo'k thoy were practically abetting tha sweating system Mrs O'Hara altogether disapproved of fhe' employment of women in the Civil Eervice. ' Prereufe op opr space prevents us from detailing the speeches at I length, although thoy were all of --T an interesting ch racier. Tho rerolution was carried w;th one ' dissentient; and, on the motion cf Mrs Nevcombe, seconded by Mrs S. Wright, Mesdames Bulkck and Williamson and Miss Btedmon were appointed a deputation to wait upon the Premier with the reSOIU-