Page:The Feminist Movement - Snowden - 1912.djvu/145

 was given to the appointment of women to posts of this sort by the London County Council Act of 1909, which granted to Sanitary Authorities the power to appoint Health Visitors 'for the purpose of giving to persons in poor circumstances advice as to the proper nurture, care, and management of young children, and of promoting cleanliness and discharging such other duties as may be assigned to them in accordance with the provisions of this section.' In view of the pressing question of infant mortality it is gratifying to know that the number of qualified women appointed to take up this important work is increasing. There are four Health Visitors in Durham, working under the Durham County Council, six in Warwickshire, four in Worcestershire, and four in Leicestershire. It is important that the work should be extended, and that the qualifications for this important work should be maintained at such a height as to attract women of education and refinement, as well as of tact and patience.

The post of School Attendance Officer is open to women, but at present this work is done by only four women in London.

Under the recently-enacted Insurance Act, women hold positions as Insurance Commissioners at a salary of £1000 per annum. This is the only case of equal pay for equal