"CHARACTERS" AND REFERENCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 303, 16 September 1908, Page 5

"CHARACTERS" AND REFERENCES.

'A recent English case which resulted in a mistress having to pay damages for giving her cook ail unfavourable character is one which 'throws' a very undesirable light 011 the Servant problem, and seems to give, colour to tho oft-expressed opinion that "characters" unless personally given are often worse than useless. From the verdict given in the case to .which reference is made (says tin 'English paper) it' is'obvious' that'any employer' who' .writes down 7 such' information —however true it may a domdstic who'is seeking another situation as. may-preclude her. from 'obtaining it is liable to be. sued for libel and mulcted in damages.' Clearly, then, it must occasionally be dangerous for- a .mistress, to. givo a true cliarac-' ter in writing, and tho obvious inference is that the greater number .of "characters" current are' simply valueless to mistresses engaging now servants.' In these circumstances it is scarcely to be wondered at that we hear constant and well-justified complaints of the paucity of good servants. And it is as plain as the proverbial pikestaff (continues our contemporary) that while employers are thus practically compelled to deceive each other and withhold tho truth concerning bad or inefficient servants who have left their service and are seeking to impose on another mistress," we can" never hope for good servants or get domestic'service to be regarded as 'an honourable, -employment. Either from sheer fear, or'.'absolute indifference to justice, mistresses will continue to give servants such characters as will be likely to comfortably clear them off their hands and lead to no bother, and; sorvants knowing this will obviously not be at great pains to do their best. Tho safest way, from tho mistresses' point of view, of giving a character is to give it in person, arid if all employers wero to insist upon personal characters there. can bo very littlo. doubt that a very, much higher standard of domestic service would be set up. While ladies will ruthlessly deceive" each other and save themselves possible trouble at tho expense of others, sorvants will,naturally trade on that very regrettable . fact.