Women and Emigration to South Africa.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue II, 12 July 1902, Page 122

Women and Emigration to South Africa.

'l'he idea of emigrating to ('ape Colony seems to be pretty popular just now. 1 will not. therefore, apologise for inserting the following article, which appeared in a recent edition of the “Daily Telegraph": “It can be stated upon the highest authority that had the valued life of Mr. Rhodes been spared even a short time longer, he would have devoted consideration in his usual far-seeing and practical manner to the important question of the emigration of suitable women to South Africa a-<

soon as hostilities were at an end. Indeed, he had already begun to more in the im Iter, and on this point a short extract from a recent letter of Major-General Sir John Ardagh, no v Military Commissioner for compensation claims at Pretoria, is of particular interest: ‘Rhodes told me that he is preparing another hostel for the reception of girls of a station above that of domestic servants. In reply to an enquiry of mine as to what was the shortage of women (white) in South Africa, ho underestimated the number, and said he supposed 10,001. He was rather surprised when T tohl him that it was probably over 200,000.

At the present moment it is difficult to deal with the situation in a manner equally satisfactory to Cape Colony and Natal or the Mother Country, as such ladies as Susan. Countess of Malmesbury, Cady Knightley of Fawsley, the Hon. Mrs. Evelyn Cecil, and others actively concerned with the direction of the South African Emigration Committee are painfully aware. “On the one hand, the cry of the self-governing colonies is for young women of the domestic servant class, and unless these are forthcoming sympathy and financial support are withheld. Equally, on the other hand.

the ladies working at home realise that that is precisely the class that we can least well spare, and to endeavour to ship such in large numbers would result in a falling off in the subscription lists here. Hence the South African expansion movement have to endeavour to hold the balance, and, so far as their English friends are concerned, the task is rendered easier from the fact that wages in Capetown are not sufficiently high to lead to offer great inducements to emigrate. Ou the coast wages run from £1 15/ to £2 10/ a month, or, for exceptionally capable women, to £3. Of course, inland they are higher,

but the additional cost of reaching the situation must then be considered. Taking into consideration the wholly different conditions of service and work, the distance from home associations, and the greater cost of clothing and other necessaries of life, a young woman must have private and personal reasons for desiring to go to South Africa before she will do so for such pay. “Later on, when the war is happily over, great developments may be looked for. Teachers, waitresses, trained nurses, dressmakers, girls with skill in some trade, such as blouse-making, milliners, will all come into rapid demand. young women here who find it difficult to get situations as mother’s helps or nursery governesses will be wanted on all hands, especially when they are prepared to be ‘generally useful in the daily life of the farm or homestead. Typists and secretaries who here at Home are the victims of some of the fiercest competition, will also be needed with the growth of the volume of trade, and it is to help the suitable applicants and act generally as agents and intermediaries that the ‘ S.A.X.’ is now busily forming plans, collecting early information, and preparing the way for the first would-be emigrants.”