Sussex Street.

One day he happened to go into the establishment of Cordons, the great drapers, to buy a pair of gloves, and he was served by a young woman whom he noticed looked very pale and careworn. He got into [Pg 6]conversation with her, in spite of the frowns of the shop-walker. In a short time he found out exactly how the respectable working girls, who were trying to earn an honest living in Sydney, are treated, and he found that they had three particular grievances, viz.:—

[Pg 6]

CONTENTS

Too long hours,Too little wages,And not allowed chairs

—that is, not allowed to sit down when not serving customers.

He went further into the question, and he found out that Messrs. Cordon and Co. treated their girls well in comparison to another firm of the name of Paul Pry, who keep open at night, whereas Cordon’s always close at six o’clock.

There are some mercantile establishments in Sydney which it is advisable for the public convenience should be kept open till a late hour, as their customers are principally men who are working all day, and can only get away after six o’clock to purchase any articles they may require. I allude to such a business as that of Ringbourne, of George Street, the bootmaker, whose business is done amongst seafaring men, and Ringbourne, by keeping open, is[Pg 7] benefitting the public as well as himself, but the people who deal with the drapers’ shops are mostly women, who can do their shopping in the afternoon, and have no need to do it at night.

[Pg 7]

It must be remembered that the class of young women I am alluding to, on account of the way in which they behave, have as much right to be treated with proper respect as the Governor’s wife has. But are they treated as they ought to be? Yes, by the gentlemen who go in on business, but not by the shop-walkers and other men who are in authority over them.

It is generally known that barmaids are looked down upon on account of the position they hold. I myself should not wish to see my sister behind a bar; but if my sister was in Australia, and had to work for a living, I would sooner see her behind some of the bars in Sydney than in a situation in a firm of the description of Lazy, Bones and Co., Cordon, or Paul Pry. Of course, as everybody knows, there are bars and bars, barmaids and barmaids; but in the 

 Prev. P 3/9 next