ENGLISH FEMALE SLAVES.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 131, 6 April 1881, Page 3

ENGLISH FEMALE SLAVES.

(From Referee?) Ths London shop girl m the drapery and fancy trades is a fair specimen of that large b >dy which his to support itself m a genteel occupation." He-re- we have gigantic establishments presided over by wealthy and iniel itfflnt Englishmen, many of them constant church.-go,er% subscribing Christians, and leading lights of chapeWom. The large employers of - female assist j»n.t" labor are gentleman, who, many of them, ar=s philanthropies a-d humanitarians themselves. To ma.ny of tKern the sensational pamphle Bon the traffic m English i?Ms has doubtless been sert. One can imagine them raising their eyes m horror and thinking \n tdeir hearts how thaukful the KDglish girls ought to be who remain m the path of virtue nnd serve at the re' at d > apery cjunt-r. Yet there are those b.. hind the sens who deolar-s that th.v tiea Irneni of these young En? ish shop girls calls loudly for pampr.lets, loaiing article and agitation. Tl^y tell us that cruel taskmasters compel these poor creatu-es to be on their feet often twelve and fourtcaii h iurs a .f a y, and fine them heavily if, ex h.iusted, th«y sin* into a .scat. Tb^re is no, escap,'. loryoun^ Bn^lijh girls when once they enter these establiehm-nts. There are vigilant overseers to watch every .it le mistake, and. to whip, them up wh n j ided and worn they slacken their pace up theheavy hll. The ' rule* of th; shop" m ail iargo houajs are p infed nn-1 ritridily en r orced. There lies before us as we write one of those rules, .They are ninety m aI. It is almost impossible, not n ing a raachiiu, to obey them. Di-obedienc ■is p nished with a heavy fine deducted fr. m he scant saiary . 'I here are over a h mHre<i varieties of fines on this precious list, ma-iy of thtm being for the mo-it triviai ovor--Bi>jhts. N<> it happens .hat, aftor votking- ' har.i from *>alf-past seven m tho raorni .g to eight, nine, an-j ten o'clock at niirht. a young la ly assistant finds her modest ai arj reduced by one half m the sij«pe of fines, which t -.c era p. oy or pocke.'a Here are specimens of t< c fines :.— ' Porno' paukin? ' a pared propi-rly, 6d. For nnt addressing a par;«l corrccUy, X For taking more time than al owed for meal-;, 61 (time is— dinner, 30 minute j tea 15), Fur le.vin^ a box or cii>:e open. 6d For standing oji a cliair, 6d. For l-avLnj o-der-boak ab .ut, 6d." Th.'re are over JOO m • *.•. and thi? U .the last one - v — "For mailing, any mistake ■not before mentioned, 6=.:." The'sysvra i-> perfect. Flc-h and blool are forgotten, and the y>ung women are treated a- a mere machines. When on* of th< m. overworked, ill, and fined out her scanty wage*. flin?Bhers: If int. >ariv.T,<.ryiHl.i Broth-thou8 roth-thou smd-and one temptations which «urround..<i thashou girls of (jomfon, « ho can won''et ? He wlio kepus a la ystaidiigia -iccouuted a bear, yet score* of ffontlpmcn shop sit ing are served by girl-- who have sto d t hi long day through. The wuo c system is iniquitous from beginni gto end. .t is s.avery. with this difference fra-n the negro inodt-l ; both oppressor and oppressed are ib: s.;nid colour.