The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3320, 12 September 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 1911.

“Unwanted” and Wanted.

I The various women’s emigration societies at Home are at present taking very active steps with a view to placing in the wide spaces of the Empire as many as possible of England’s superfluous young women-folk. According to the London correspondent of the “Melbourne Ago” the cry of “Help the odd million of women to emigrate.” grows more insistent in England with the increase of prosperity in the Dominions. There, is (lie Continues) it feeling a,t Home that the newer countries which offer so many opportunities for female labour in their expanding rural settlements and in their city homes and factories should be able easily to find room for more than the few hundreds or thousands of Englishivomen they take at present, after most careful and even nervous consideration an the part of their London agents. The problem of the “unwanted” woman ;eems to oppress the various societies .md othel unofficial organisations which concern themselves with emigration work. In London, for example, the crowding of the female labor market is positively shocking. Thousands of fine looking women between 20 and 30 years age are working ten, and in some rises twelve, hours per day for wages ranging from 8s to 12s per week. One great catering company which chooses Its female employees with special regard to their height, physical strength, md good looks, gives them 6s per week md “commission.” The commission is xmtemptibly small, and the unfortunate. employees have to depend for the Treater part of their livelihood on such :ips as they can get from the customers :hey serve. The. various societies, :t ippears, have issued a joint letter staling that they wish to co-operate more ully, so far as they may be permitted :o do so, with the Dominion Governnents ini the selection, guardianship luring travel iby sea, and. the distribution of suitable female emigrants. In proof of their qualifications for such assistance they state that their socic:,ies have already sent more, than 16,000 romen and girls to Canada, New Zeaa;nd, and the Australian: States. The

following is a summary of various suggestions offered by the societies. *l* | That all women and girls assisted zo the Dominions be selected by tlie icsponsible officials and reliable agenei.es -with a view especially to their futuie ‘ ‘status’ ’ as wives and motlieis. 2. That all such emigrants be under the charge of a trained matron, who will he paid by the State and be responsible thereto; and .who shall in all cases travel in the same class as the gills, and shall supply to the Agents-General a written report of the voyage, as well as the colonial addresses of the girls sent out under her care. 3. that a home be provided by each State for toe reception 1 of girl immigrants, to which the “assisted” girls will be taken oa arrival; and that board and lodging be there provided for them, which m the case of “assisted” girls at least will he without charge for three days. .4. That the employers engaging the girls he known to and approved by the officials on.' the spot, who shall make eve 13 effort to secure for the girls situations only with respectable people. 5. That a home, hostel, or place of lodging lie provided in each large area by voluntary or State action, to which the immigrant girls can return during intervals of service. Moderate payment would Ire asked, and a term set for length of stay. 6. That the State appoint voluntary inspectors in each large area, whose duty it shall be to visit each immigrant girl and woman during her first year of service. Such voluntary assistance to be subsidised in the matter of railway travelling, telegrams, etc., according to the number of visits made. It is also' proposed, we are told, that the Governments should invite societies dealing with girls and women all over the Empire to help the State organisations in safeguarding the emigrants. The principal societies which offer their assistance are the British V omen’s Emigration Association, the Girls’ Friendly Society, the Young Women's Christian Association, the Travellers’ Aid Society, and the National Enron of Woman Workers.