OVERWORKED MOTHERS

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13738, 20 May 1910, Page 9

OVERWORKED MOTHERS

_ ._+ T0 IKB EDITOR OP "TTTK PRESS." ' ale —Allow mc ?,pa<-c in your valuable ■ \_l to make a few remark* conecrn- '" ?'^ t ji c "Overworked Mothers" ques- "]";« which appeared in your .paper on v t'dav Having had ten years of ?l«tk service. I think I can give an opinion of the New Zealand •■rl's'idca of domestic service. She is mbitious and independent, and will _\ submit to the unnecessary rules, a ihe position of inferiority which 'jS'hMTt.r«inforni to if she takes up «*rviw. She Has none of the 'ffija which Rirls m shops, officer, Tfaetoriers enjoy, and knows that in nice* »bo is looked down upon, not "*,, by those for wliom .she is working, b". afco by all cla>«-s of the cominu--V- It is not t» be wondered at. Seffforr. that girls do not take up theSofesion from «-lio.<v. and until the Lditions arc improved, ami tho regions between mist-res-, and maid arc X tolerable lor the girls the mothers" will find a d'fiiu r in obtaining hoi,.*; lor their homes. fw of the .speakers, at the meeting referred to servant.-, a.s •'useless and Lpensivr." but io my ininel the term ffouW'have hocn more fittingly applied ie tbe women tbi-tnselves, who rein not attend properly to their own homes and hildrcn. [«x\'iHse they think it is more inrraruint to kt*i> up apix>ara.nec« in *• society; and fome of th«* money spent ;„ living silly "at homes'' might po tawarcts paying a living wag,, to a capable girl if the- mothers really required hr'pp. It is ridiculous to suppose that tho fcarciiy of domestic M-r----r*jnts is rcKpvm.siblo for the deeveas rig huth-raU.-. when n.-ryone know.s that it ifi the modern woman's lovp of plcajore • 11, d dislike of home-life that is responsible to :•. much greater extent. But if it is the lack of good j-e-r vents tliat has brought alxmt the decline in tbV birth-rate, is it not a wonder that tbi' people-concerned do neit make an effort to make domestic service more ' attractive? Much could Ik- done in raising tho household servant to a level * vith workers in other spheres, and ■girls would take more kindly to a pro- *■ to! ion which has much to recommend if., apart from tho unpleasantness of . honing that, as servants, we are on tin.- lowest rung of the social ladder.— Yours, etc., DOMESTIC WORK EH. TO THE EDITOR OF "XIIK PRESS." Sir, — In a &ul>-lcadcr in Monday's "Press." under the above heading, you .jay "the woman upon whom devolves the work of a home and the caite of several young children has probably one •« the most exhausting and trying , tasks that can fall upon anyone." Grantee!; but why, in many cases? Undoubtedly there are many good and also indifferent mistresses. Only last ireek I visited an acquaintance whoso „ • daughter had just returned' from the errantry, where she had undertaken the T duties of governess to some young children. But in addition to these duties

-it appeared there were numerous others ;which necessitated her rising in tbo early hours of the morning before it was light, and being kept constantly until 8.30 p.m. Slie became ,'tnoroiigbly ill. and asked to be relievee!

of ber duties. The "lady" became quite ; misery', anel said "it was all nonsense; •' frjrl* of her age did not become ill like <that; it, was all put on," and demurred to her leaving. However, she was allowed to .go. Before starting on her journey homo, ono of the sterner sex

sympathetically said to her. ''Pardon

nn?. miss, but you look very ill; allow __; mo fto you a diss of wSne.'" .' which he straightway did. Afterwards, (luring tho train journey, a lady paswrarer kindly brought her a cup of tea. Kvidcntly others could sco the young - lady was ill, if the mistress was so blind. And it strikes mc forcibly that ' if mistresses in general would use moro tact, and kindness to their servants. tlvere would not be half the cry of dearth of "domestic helps anel over-' , worked mothers.—Yours, etc.. FAIR PLAY.