GIRLS LEAVE FOR AUSTRALIA
A merry party of about 120 girls who have been thrown out of work by the war left London on Saturday for Australia, where they are to try their fortune as domestic servants. They represent the first contingent of young women selected by the Queen's Work for Women Fund for emigration. Each of the girls has received a complete outfit from the Queen's Fund, and, in addition, £1 towards her fare and £1 landing money. The fare is £3 for every girl, and each emigrant is required to repay £2 from her wages to the State in which settles.
[It seems odd that girls were being shipped to Australia, as the best way of finding employment for them, when the shortage of men (who had volunteered in such large numbers) was beginning to create a demand for women as an alternative source of workers. And later in the war, if not now, domestic service was increasingly unpopular because there were so many other opportunities, paying more and with better working conditions.]
No comments:
Post a Comment