DOMESTIC WORKERS' UNIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8246, 11 December 1911, Page 6

DOMESTIC WORKERS' UNIONS.

The days of domestic "slavery" are mimberecTin -New South Wales, where the Legislative Assembly has, by 31 votes to" 20, decided that domestic servants shall have a Wages Board find be entitled to all the other benefits of the Industrial Arbitration Act. The domestics in New Zealand do not appear to require legislation ■on their behalf, if their conditions of labour arc in general anything like those that were described in Christehnrch last; week. A witness in an appeal case at the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, a domestic servant, told his Honour.Mr Justice Donniston, that for nineteen months she- had,been walking out with the appellant for five nights every

week without fail. His Honour commented on the statement, asking what on earth the girl's mistress could be thinking of to allow that. Well, the girl's mistress probably could not help herself, but was -glad'to. accept, whatever terms "Mary Jane" might think fit to impose. The' Government members of the Sydney Legislature supported the amendment giving domestics the benefit of the Arbitration 'Act. Opposition members, on the other hand, deprecated interference with the routine of home life, as uncalled for, and. likely to be mischievous. MiDavid Fell, in particular, urged the House'to remember that in going out of their way to promote the personal comfort of the domestic help they ran the risk of adding to the already heavy trouble of overburdened mothers, charged with rearing of their families, and that this was likely to re-act upon the State. Others pointed out that with a demand for domestic help far in excess of the supply domestics were able to pick and choose-, and practically dictate the conditions of service.