NEED FOR HIGHER STATUS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21726, 7 March 1936, Page 18

NEED FOR HIGHER STATUS

DOMESTIC SERVICE FOB GIRLS

PROPOSALS MADE TO TECHNICAL COLLEGE BOARD

The suggestion that measures should be taken to institute a system of training in domestic service at the Christ- ; church Technical College, ( and that efforts should be made to’raise the status of the work, was made at last evening’s meeting of the Technical College Board of Governors by Miss C. E/ Robinson, organiser of the Women’s and Girls' Employment Committee, and a member of the teaching staff of the college. Miss Robinson, in a memorandum to the board, suggested that a residential domestic training college under the control of the board be established where girls apd women of 16 years and over Could take a course of training lasting three weeks, and be prepared for positions as cooks, housekeepers, matrons, waitresses, and nurses. They should be given diplomas according to achievement and the nature of the work they had done. The memorandum said that the problem was one which was of extreme importance, and was being considered by all women’s organisations throughout New Zealand. The National Council of Women had, set up sub-commit-tees with the aim of raising the status of such workers, and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, the Federation of University Women, and the Home Service Association were also keenly* interested. “At present there are good positions offering,” it was stated, “which capable girls of the most suitable type refuse to consider, partly because of the stigma attached to the name ‘domestic,’ partly because conditions are often so unsatisfactory all such offers are regarded with suspicion. It is hoped to remove the stigma from the occupation of domestic by improving conditions of work, and consequently by attracting a better type of girl to the work.” Comparisons With Other Positions Miss Robinson said that the sub-com-mittees did not know where to start A beginning had to be made somewhere, and why not at the Technical College. A renpjtjoould. be, sent to the technical teeners’ conference and a request mad^ 7 to the Education Department. It was a problem, to fill domestic positionsPmough positions as good as those at omßes. with wages iff 18s a "week, were being offered. The conditions should be improved along parallel lines to those oh which nursing had been improved, The training hostels would be similar to the Karitane hostels. An association of domestic workers could be formed, and employers could be trained to treat the, girls fairlyj as nurses now were treated. At present the mothers of the girls often objected to their taking up domestic service. The chairman, Mr iT. W. West, Mid that girls often thought such work beneath their dignity, just as farm work had once been thought beneath the dignity of boys, This was not so now, and it should not be considered a disgrace -for girls to take up domestic work. .But at present, girls in offices had better conditions, with'their evenings and Saturday afternoons free, where girls in domestic service had to work from seven in the morning till seven at night. Girls, therefore, looked down on such work, and took up training for offices* If the standard were improved,, the domestic classes at the college could do better work. 'Die principal. Dr. D. E. Hansen; said that girls In domestic work were tied in the evenings, arid could not Attend the classes m such work at the college, with the result that there were far more who took commercial courses: On the other hand, some mistresses encouraged the girls to come. But It was not to be assumed that because a student was a girl she should therefore. necessarily take up domestic workin reply to Mr West, who referred to the difficulties ! of accommodation, Miss Robinson said that a start could be made in a small way. Mr West said that the board approved of the proposal in general, but no resolution would be passed, as the women s organisations concerned could approach the board when they had given further consideration to the matter, ' •