THE PERENNIAL SERVANT QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 87, 11 April 1906, Page 8

THE PERENNIAL SERVANT QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I mostly read Dr. Bakewell's letters with great pleasure, and often with much amusement. But I notice with all of them, no matter on what subject, a tone of bitterness underlying all. Last night a paper on domestic service was as bitter as any, in this instance against mistresses. With all clue respect to the doctor, he grossly exaggerates tho duties of domestic servants, and knows very little ou the subject. The spirit of the age is against domestic service. You may notice that among the middle classes. Most of the daughters go to business. This in a measure is brought about through higher education, and the small credit given to domestic duties on which depend most of our comforts and a deal of our happiness. Men themselves are largely to blame for this;.home duties well done seldom count with them. Although they constitute a business just as much as any other. We hear a great deal of girls prefering factory life, but home can never be arranged on the factory footing. When business ia done all wend tkeir way home for food and refreshment, even the factory girl herself must have a home, and often, as the doctor says, makes a drudge of her poor mother.

With very few exceptions the general servant does not prepare the food, or make the puddings or the soup. They usually do carry out the things (I mean the dinner) when all is prepared, and often it needs much teaching and patience on the part of the mistress before they do this properly. Then as to the cleaning of rooms. They seldom do the whole of it; everything must be prepared. Most girls never seem to think they ought to know their duties, and do them. Much is said about giving them more leisure, but most of them do fot know how to use it when conceded, hope not to be uncharitable myself, for over 40 years it has been the rule of our house that' the maid is always studied first. We seldom go out of an evening, but if we do we must be home early on account of the servant. If the service at Church on a Sunday morning is rather long we are on pins and needles lest the afternoon out of the.servant should be shortened,though she gets the weekly, half-holiday and every Sunday afternoon and evening. And so on; in mostly everything she is studied, so that, like the baby, she is master of the situation. « Papers like Dr. Bakewell's and a few others make matters very much worse, acting like pernicious influences from outside on children. lam speaking of the average general servant. She is helped so much and her deficiencies so made up that she only does what she thinks she. will. A great deal of course depends On.the girl herself whether she is quick or slow and whether she has any desire to get through her work or.to spread it out all through the day. However, I hope some wiser head will soon discover a solution to this most difficult subject that will be reasonable and ju3t to, both parties.—l am, etc., '■"•>. - >' MISTRESS.