CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 69, 22 March 1910, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

A PLEA FOR WASHERWOMEN. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I had hoped when writing my: last letter that perhaps someone would take an interest in the matter referred to, viz., "Washerwomen and their Wages," and assist mc in trying to' mitigate their unenviable, lot. They are a most respectable, hard-working band of women, whose only fault lies in their submission to the shameful condi- ; tions laid down for them. I have applied for scores of places, and almost without exception the employers de- ; plore the fact that they can rarely dc- I pend on a woman putting in an ap-i pearance the second time. That is, m • itself, enough to substantiate my state-. ments. One lady, who advertised for a washerwoman, told mc she had engaged one for some time past at 2/6 from | S a._. to about 2 p.m., but would give ; mc 3/- to come. I asked what had be- 1 come of the previous washer, and she said: "Oh, she is ill." Now, I should: like to know what is to be the fate of, these brave • women, when they break, down from the strenuous work imposed. on them, and are calmly put aside with,! "Oh, she is ill." At one place I had 11 was treated remarkably well, but the ■' amount of work to be got through was fearful, and I was laid up for three i days after it. At another place I was j required to do a fortnight's washing i and ironing for a family of five, and to i scrub three rooms to "fill in time | for 5/- for the day. I know of a place j where eleven rooms have to be scrub- i bed, besides a few trifles in the way i of cleaning the kitchen range and two j register grates, for 3/-. Every -woman is naturally competent to undertake. housework, and if any employers complain of work ill-done, it is their own fault for being -unreasonable and syste- , matically overtasking those in their pay.—l am, etc-, TOILER.