DOMESTIC SERVANTS FOR THE COLONIES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12989, 17 December 1907, Page 6

DOMESTIC SERVANTS FOR THE COLONIES.

Many a New Zealand housewife, reading a cable, message in yesterday's paper, must have been fillod with furious envy of hor more fortunate 'sister of New South Wales. The London agent of that State has completed an organisation in Scotland for tho caroful scilootiion of domestic servants, and hia subordinates are reported to«bo "inun- " dated with applications from desir- " able young women/" who desire assisted passages to Australia early in tlvo coming year. This scorns to bo indeed one of tbewe cases an which Providence helps those who help themselves. For the New South Wales Government, moved by the necessities of the housewives of tlho State, have done much to induce the welcome invasion that is threatened. They have lately reduced the passago faro for British domestic eervßirrte coming out to the State to £3 each, they ha-vo set tho whole machinery of 4lho Agency-General at work to spread the news for and wide, and to select tho girls who may offer, and they have authorised tho AgentGeneral to send out at least a thousand as soon aa possible. In. passing it may bo mentioned that the Government has on hand applications from country residents for more than three thousand domestic helps—a fact which indicates bow warmly the now arrivals will bo welcomed. The Government charges each immigrant £5, but refunds her £2 of this amount as soon as she has accepted a situation, in order that she may have a little money in hand at tho outset. One of the best features of the scliome is that the immigrants as soon as they arc settled often nominate friends or relatives at Home for assisted passages. Is it not poasiblo for Now Zealand to do what New South Wales is doing with such success? Tho Minister for Labour apparently thinks not. With very imperfect appreciation of tho enormous demand for domestic eervante in Now Zealand he believes that immigration is proceeding very satisfactorily, declares that it "wonld not be wiso to flood the mar"ket," and says that the Government will do no raoro than it is doing to help servants to ecmo out here. Its efforts at present aro restricted, we believe, to paying so much of the passage money that tho intending immigrant has only to pay £10!— as against the £3 sho has to pay to go to New South Wales. As a means of attracting "desirable yonng women" to come to New Zealand, this policy strikes one as lacking common sense. Tho matter is much more urgent than Mr Millar seems to recognise, and it is all tho more &o because the burden of tho present state of affairs falls most heavily on those least able to bear it. Well-to-do peoplo in New Zealand havo comparatively little trouble in securing all the domestic servants they require; it is the hard-worked housewife and mother of tho largo middle class who has the greatest difficulty in securing and retaining anything adequate domestio help. We believe that a thousand suitable girls would have no difficulty in finding situations in New Zealand ia a week and their arriv.nl here would inflict no hardship upon New Zealand girls, for the latter, in a groat majority of cases, will have nothing to do with domestic service. «.o commend to tho New Zealand Government the consideration of the methods by which the New

South We Irs Government is endeavouring to eopo with tho existing ehortago of domestic servants, in the hope that they may bo led to take similar measures.