DOMESTIC WORK

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21961, 9 December 1936, Page 18

DOMESTIC WORK

TO HIE EDITOR OP THE "RESS. Sir, —Judging by the paper the domestic problem is again one of the main topics, and being a domestic myself (at present). I wish to write about several things which I think are troubling so many other girls. If mistresses were only to realise that their maids like the same outings as their sister workers—that is the evenings they wish, together with Sundays free, I don’t think they would have any trouble in keeping them. Instead of that Mary rises before 7 and is not finished until 7 o'clock or after at night—l2 hours, without even proper time allowed for her meals. When she feels like having an evening’s amusement she is nicely informed that “Mr and I are going out,” and Mary has to stay at home with the flics. The occasional night Mary is allowed out, she returns to find Mistress's light switch on to enable her to see the time, and when she wanders to her room, is disgusted and surprised to find somebody has been prowling about. The girl of to-day is not allowed any privacy, and how many are going to stand for that? When Mary’s half-day (day out, it is termed) arrives, she finds that after setting the afternoon tea, and preparing the evening meal, the greater part of the day has gone, but that is not all that she has to contend with, because as she opens the back door at night, a great pile of dishes greets her. If only these blind mistresses were to have their eyes opened and see what their maids want (such as shorter working hours), and carry it out, girls would stay with them. Until this is done 1 am through with domestic positions.—Yours, etc., GIVEN NOTICE. December 4, 1936.