DOMESTIC WORK ON FARMS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23354, 13 June 1941, Page 10

DOMESTIC WORK ON FARMS

, Sir,—l fail to see why Mr Bishop has made such a lament on the lot of farmers’ wives. These days a big majority of women on farms have electric cookers, hot water, washing machines, irons, refrigerators, etc. I can recall when we had none of these, and I am not yet 50. In many instances, harvesters have no longer to be catered for for weeks on end. since header harvesters do away with 95 per cent, of that work. Until recent years sewing of children’s garments was done in the home; bread and butter were homemade. Now the average farmer’s wife has butter brought from the factory. As a farmer’s daughter and a farmer’s wife I can justly say that we women can manage our own homes unless there are six young children and no electricity available, and still find time for an occasional day’s shopping to the city, an afternoon to Red Cross, another to the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, and many days out. This applies to the life of a mixed farmer’s wife. The life of a sheep farmer’s wife is much easier. Let the dairy farmer’s wife speak for herself. Yours, etc., ANTI-HUMBUG. June 9, 1941.