DOMESTICS FROM GREAT BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 586, 14 August 1909, Page 11

DOMESTICS FROM GREAT BRITAIN.

. ... AN ENGLISH VIEW. ' ■ . The head of the Emigration Department of the Salvation . Army,. England, :was, inter-, [viewed lately, by the .correspondent .of an English paper in regard to » the started by a number of Christohurch-ladies, to petition the Government to grant free passages to domestic, sorvants from Great Britain to New; Zealand. ■ . - . "There are thousands of women and . girls in this country," . said the Salvation Army officer in question, "who see no prospects at all here,-and whose horizon.is naturally.limited by, the; social conditions of this country, who. would not hesitate to accept the offer of, situations in New Zealand under- reason-, able conditions, if facilities for getting- out there were provided. They woulcT require to be'trained for domestic service. That could be done either before leaving England or on tho way out. A kitchen could bo fitted up on, board for the lon^ 1 journey out; and proper training : given by. , someone accustomcd to colonial conditions. . . . "If the passages were paid, there .would be no 'difficulty in getting plenty of decent girls who would never be domestic servants here, but who'would willingly enter service in the colonies. From my: own experience in emigration work, there are thousands of girls in this country who are well:educated and intelligent, with perhaps- a little income of their own, and who- have been brought up with the idea of becoming ladyhelps and companion?. That type of girl would never tackle domestic service in this country, but she .would not hesitate tp do so in any of the colonies'. You see exactly the same sort of thing amongst the men. A young mart who would , not willingly take to manual labour here will take off his coat and tackle the first, job that comes/ to hand when ho goes to,the colonics." ' ' ; "Suppose that the girls, when they reachNew Zealand; find'that there aro otlier'open-ings'-in life more attractive, as the New Zealand girls' appear to have done. What is to prevent thorn abandoning domestic service in' that case?". : "Nothing.-.-It just comes■ tovthis,• that' the mistress .must-be prepared .to 'recognise ' the fact'that her'house. is a matrimonial bureau. That is what happens in this! country,-and-it is 'perfectly"natural'. Tho average -domestic, servant here, in- England goes into; service at 16 years of agoj or thereabouts. -Slie tries' two or-.three.,situations, remaining in' one of tliem for ■ perhaps three or four years. Then when she is 24 or. 25 she gets married; 'It is inoonvenient. for ,tho'misbreqs,'but as-"the supply of domestios is plentiful here,'she presently, gets'suited-again. ' iV' : - "And'that, is what will happen witfi. girls sent out to tho colonics. AVe send them with tho idea that t-lioy sliall got married ' and start homes of their own. It is not their mission: in life ■to be domestic 'Servants-' 4 ahd • in Bonding them out it is not our mission 'merely ■to supply well-to-do ladies. with' servants. _AVo want 'the girls to have a decent .chance.''in" chanceto* get married and 1 to have homes of their own. And wo look to that,/and to the colonies' need of population, as-our primary objects'in'sending girls overseas'." r- : - ■■

■ I also asked ■ the High ■ Commissioner for New Zealand for. an opinion on the'. ■ Christchurch 1 ladies' proposal. He was very doubtful as to the possibility of freo passages being granted. If ladies in New Zealand- cared ■to pay'the passages.of domestic servants from England, plenty of suitable, girls could be Had; in yiil!-Muntry, ll bnt:tljey : 'donld';not.''be bound to remain in tho situations they were •brought out to fill. In;tho circumstances, lie doubted whether Ensiling would come of the proposal. Meanwhile, he is sending.out by the direct steamers a good number of domes- ! tic servants ' each,of whom'pays £10' towards her fare, the Government paying the bat ar.ee. '' ' ;