THE SERVANT PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 133, 28 February 1908, Page 3

THE SERVANT PROBLEM.

I ' GIRLS FROM, ENGLA.ND. The'following letter has _been addressed to the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) by the organising secretary of ' the Now Zealand, 'WomeW Guild : ';(Mfs,«.Rv ; ueuues Crawford) :-r- , 1 f • "I- am in receipt of your, letter '-'dated 3rd ;ult:, and desire,, on behalf of the council of the above guild,, to,'state-that, being so, much .interested in the immigration-of -.domestic:. servants,- wo 'have gathered "somo' interesting facts, and are firmly convinced that - there -'is; a ; -crying. need for a 'suitable class of -young women, who will make, not only good ~workers,.- but particularly, good colonists. - Wo. consider, there is,. therefore,much need of.; a. largo afnount-of. discretion and - judgment: in.tho. selection of: the' same/ : i We 'would '-.suggest(l) That" if the Government .'will' pay. ,£l2j. in. place-, of ' £9, as : 'alrea'dy: ; ;paid, and 5 use their influence' with us in "inducing' 'a first-class ' shipping' company to reduce the fares from £19 to £15 for "domestic servants', "provided that; .on an average, .50- be sent' out in. l each' steamer monthly' for one year;..suitable young''women '.in the British Isles would willingly ■P a y £3.,;to>yard their own fare 1 . (2) Tbat:the Labour Department invito.all; eiriployers : of domestic:.'servants, who aro- in .need''of : same to: write,; distinctly gating their.requireA. printed'..form' should .bo supplied, to b'e filled 'in' (I. enclose a' copy of- .one which may bo-'suitable).' '.This should be' accompanied .by a;.sum, of'£2'2s-. ''fbfc' brie,;'or, two servants,; and an' extra .guinea"for -every - extra servant required. By thismeans"' the' Government would learn" who are "the bonafide employers who , really cannot' rgotnservants. All to whom' I have mentioned tliis expross their willingness to. pay such- fee (3) When' 250" names' have be*,: :§ent "hi and foes paid, then the Government should send to the British ,Isles a suitablo' person;qualified'' to ' lecture, and one integrity is: blown; naturally, oily 'a woman is. really capable of this Work.,- This sum of '£•500 would pay all necessary expenses for one year. (4) A list- of all names- and amount paid-by employers should , be'kept, and when a suitablo servant is selected' for, say, Mrs. - A—."then .the immigrant; >11 payment of £3 . to' th'o person'.you "select for this-work; could be ! given ,by tho:'said, person 4 letter 1 of introduction tovMrs.': A—; and also full particulars of tho immigrant should be sent to: the employer, notifying' by which steamer tho young woman will arrive. ■ Sho. would be mot on her arrival, aiid'by this means there .will bo no necessity for having' accommodation for .new arrivals. (5) To prevent immigrants being to unsuitable and- improper; persons, all applicants: for servants should encloso with their application■' letters,• from two officially-a'piiointed in their town, say, for .instance,; the, local sergeant of police, and the-local .postmaster;

. " Real i si he, aswpclo, the. urgency, of .'immediate action on'.behalf of the women, of New Zealand,' I .again ask_ that your earliest attention be (riren this' imbortant 'subieot;

Should the Government consider my services suitable, I should bo pleased to undertake tho work. As you have already learned through tho Press, I have been appointed for itlio work by -many ladies of AuckjAnd. Until Government • replies to, and grants, our request, wo feel unable to proceed with this work; and the conseqiienco of- delay will be' tho death, of many more women through overwork,' and 'also many unborn children." Mrs. ■R; Geddes Crawford will leave for Sydney at an early date' to interview-the young women who are being sent to Sydney from the British Isles by Mrs. Chamberlain, vice-president of the : Domestic Servants''lmmigration. League of New South Wales. ;