, 1881-03-06
FEMININE OFFICIALS.
The Employment Of Women in Gov.
ernTncnt Services.


! ncnts In that Republic than for men. Prelitn1
! nary inquiries are made us to character an
| health; those who hive replied satisfactorily
! these inquiries then pass an educational exanal
| nation. In Switzerland It would be considere
! quite becoming were the daughter Of Director
| General or Of IL Minister to take Office a
! Il clerk. The distinctions of class arc main
talnod. Experience has proved that. ii
| cases where the staff is composed purity O
women, OF men, and of boys, the influence 0
] women has beneficial effect on their associate
IN oiiciut work. Tho women mag marry, but l
absent from their duties they have to pay 70
the services of Il suitable substitute. The S'vis
| Administration haa had cause to ocoug1ntulntc th
country OH the satisfactory manner III which tn,
| women 1t employs hnye performed ttleir duties
! The Austrian Government formerly permitted
bnnds. About ten years slnce it was on0ctet
thai men named By the postal authorities sauult
| while tho vidoY provided means Of transport
| At that time horses were used to carry the mail.
bags. When the authorities ayalied the1naelve:
! Of tho facilities otored BY railroads. u liked
sum was given to tho widows, ou consideration
t Of their using the railways for the conveyance
Since 1878, ladies have bscn employed in Aus
trfn In minor functions, such Us the sule OF
stunps. 'reGastrAton Of letters, md SO forth
Eighty ladies are employed ut post-othces in
districts of Lower Austria, where there are. suy.
seven hundred post-oAces. about one hundred
and fifty of these are intrusted to ladies. who
carry out the service Inadvertently and With
pronptitudc. Nominations are gwen by the
Directors of the post offices, Of whom there are
eleven In Austria, In the principal towns Of
each country OF tho Empire. Persons Of tntlu-
encc frequently c11doavor to obtu.n these places
tor ludfcs in whom they are Interested They
are not open to public competition. Inquiries
are mndc rs to tho antecedents and manucr vi
life Of the candidates through the medium Of
tho police: nevertheless It sometimes hnppens
classification Of fe11nles rathor than Of ladies,
Speaking geaorafly, the employment Of women
in Austria, particularly in tho country, may be
most part remarkaole for s asscntien @ and ap
plicntion to their duties. In order to obtain
these appointments. candidates must pass IN
ceyt one tiozin Austrian mouey day. Those
who ohtuin places Us Postmistresscs Or assistant
agents have 70 a. take M q nath. like uny other
der IL, and while holding such appointments
they cui,not mArry. Their position iu society is
not affected by libel their occpyng posts Under
rclegrasic departments. und they can 1nnrry.
Ia Italy, ladies WORK iu the tclegrnf galler..
test They mix in society, anu their social
status is not compromised by tho character OF
.helr occupation. Occasionally. indeed. these
ladies bclOug to patrician houses. hut this ia
rareiy the case They are not allowed to marry.
The Government OF Russia employs ladies;
but. as In Italy, ouly In tho telegraf galleries.
tho service. Of the Suite. They must be- &C.
analnted with four languages They are well
received IN society, Sometimes nominations
are given by influential persons.
1nGern1any tie employmentuf uf women has not
met with tho success which bus attended efforts
in that direction ia other countries Tie cause
lect that Gcrman women are essentially good
housewives. much or their attention being usr-
science Of cooking, plying the busy needle, and
Ininsterius themselves to the comforts Of
home. In tact, they study domestic economy in
tho most practical manner.
LII the Netherlands lades are now employed as
clerks III tho post-oice, anG also in the capacity
OF assistants. Tho system of opea competition
has been introduced; but we have no data BY
which to judye OF the results.
The Belgian Government hns shown disposI-
tion 10 try.the experiment Of giving 0itra! occu-
pation to women. Muny women OF the bourseolae
CLAUS, not ladies'. arc employed III sata!l>poat-
Offices and as telegradsts At AHnur an attempt
~ his been tnnde to employ women rs clerks
is TOO eariy to speak with confidence us to the
result.
various departments Of tho State. The Finan-
- Bureau dc Tabac." Those pusts nre given by
nomination to tho widows and daughters Of
mon. magistrates, .nl otIictls. The
Bank OF France employs women in the branches !
Uf classicu tion and control. ln tho Iduont.onul
[ntundents Of infant schools. Women are en-
ptoyed by the Post-Onicc as receivers; in tho |
ctntrnl administration ns accountants, in the
regiatration and in mioor occupations. Caudi- |
lates 80 up for i'm educational cxanlrA don. |
they have 10 be provided with Testimonials lis 10
character By the Mayors Of their respective
puces Of residence. or by d police Suucr,ntcnl- |
:nt: !, N"ncn employed by ske French
wnd notfy hox 7" fhe oy
nent. Inquiries nro Instituted rs to the |
und circumstances Of tho intonded |
and tho reQutslt authorization Is only
II
rhe position In tho soclul world Of women thus
'mptoyed depends On their fa1nlly, their cIuca-
generally speuking, those occupying the higher /
POSTS in official life meet with consideration In |
'octcty.
The English Government has employed women
u telcgrAtists since January, 1870 Nomiu.l-
ions to compete nre given by the Postmaster
General: the limits VI lge arc not under II or
. begin with, the highest scale of ply bclug 30 |
billings week; unl they work eight hours u
EAy between the hours Of II: and s. y.
galleries. but it was found desirable to
,iacc them III the same galleries as the men
nd boys. ind their society tnd tnutslni influence
e,naIe telegrasis belong to tho class from
Fhich assistants behind the counters or shops
re recruited; these posts, however. arc opeu to
'on,en of nlt sr9des Grcat accuracy, general
intelligence. and quick:cs5 are required for tho |
york, which Is US rule, satisfactorily accuIn- |
shsd; II II ; Is deemed ineSpedent M to employ
Us female tcleSrnflsts are employed by Govern
1ent in LONDON, Edinburg, and Dublin. 4
1rge number Ut women Of the Slime cuSS are
mpiUycd as cOunter-wnmeu md rerurncr5 OF
uGeiivered letters. These situations ire all
aost el.crly sought for. Years sometimes pnss
eforc candidates obtain appointments. III tho
cur 1915 tho Thought occurred to Sir John Til |
3y, X. q. B.. than Secretary, that tho cierkshps !
i the Post Qitice S:tylngs-knu might be filled |
= rentiewoulen Of limited meatl3, daughters Of |
Ulcers in the navy and army, OF civil officers of
10 Grown. or those engaged IN the cirricaI, ie-
III, and medical professions, OF literary men
nd artists.
Nominations to compete were given by the
tic Postmaster Gcuers1l. Lura John Manners, |
no took grtut interest In the plan. Tho ladies !
tlo received nonanarions bud to pass Il COM
ctitiye examination by the Ciyil~Servicc COM
ssion for the limited number OF appointments
be Tiled up. The nominations were given. as |
hom thoy were intended, it being felt ,hnt, In |
c existing constitution ut society, ladics are |
excluded from ruauy occupations I
hicil women OF the middle class and uf lower
ciul station enter Us matter of ct1urso. Cun-
dates under II or above ~ years Of uge nrc in-
iEible. The numerous applications for noni-
ltton prove bow the opportunity Is vnlued. :
&c appointments Hladc {as VIC have safd) BY |
examination among the nominated :
ndidates are only confirmed after six months I
probation. The ladies FIRST appoint !
entered On this footing, nnd had to learn their |
ties frutn experienced officers Ut tho star, who :
d thus the opportunity ut testing their abilities.
was solely OIL the ground OF proved merit, !
testified ny those gentlemen, thur the branch | !
orgluIzcd, iu 1S1B, Into two ciAsscs, with two