MAIDS—AND GETTING THEM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1191, 28 July 1911, Page 9

MAIDS—AND GETTING THEM.

FOE THE HOMESTEADS. The difficulty experienced in getting holp to assist housewives in the country to carry out the duties of the household was the subject of an interesting discussion at yesterday conference of the Farmers' Union . The matter was introduced by tlio Southland Union, which moved:— "That in view of tlio great difficulty iai obtaining domestic servants in tlio country, tho Government he urged to adopt' a scheme for bringing out suitable female servants, and that a fair proportion should be assigned to Southland." Mr. D. M'Qucen drew a touching picture of the plight of the country housswife. It was, ho. said, a notorious fact that it was impossible to get. any domestic assistance, and it was a gross injustice to the womenfolk that they should be sweated, and nearly kill themselves, with the housework and the children, simply through the want of assistance in the home. The feeling appeared to be amongst the girls that the drapery, etc., was a more aristocratic calling than domestic service. He had advertised for a servant, and offered every afternoon and Sunday off, but he got no Teply. Perhaps it was taken as a joke. It was no wonder to him that the cradles jyero empty. A man would be a downright fool to fill the cradles and kill his wife. If the Government wished to keep the birthrate up they should tako steps to help the women who were now being sweated and killed. Several speakers suggested that the last portion of the resolution, referring particularly to Southland should be left out, and this was agreed to. Mr. F. Hockly said the position had become very acute, and it was high time organised steps were taken to deal with the matter. Hundreds, and probably thousands of people in New Zealand were ablo and willing to employ domestic help, and to give good wages and comfortable homes to the employee, but they could not get the help. The consequent undermining of the health of the mothers must have a serious effect on the generation to come. In an important matter like this they should keep on pressing until something was done. Mr. Campbell (Wanganui) combated the suggestion that the work tho mothers had to do would have any effect, on the generation to come. Throughout the world it was the hardest worked mothers who had the strongest and the greatest number of children. It was generally the mother who lived in luxury who had the smallest family. Mr. Jones (Taranaki) contended that there was absolutely no doubt that the mothers were overworked, despite what Mr. Campbell said. If tho men in this . country had to do two-thirds of what the women did, many of them would bo dead men. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Makgill gave some illustrations of his personal experience in efforts to secure help for tho household. He had gone to the Labour Bureau in Auckland, and asked if there was any chance of getting help. The reply was that they might get someone. He intimated to the Bureau that lie was willing to pay 17s. 6d. or ,£1 per week, and they then asked what family there was in tho houso. M hen he said there were five children, ho was immediately told that his quest was hopeless. Then he advertised in tho papers, and did everything he could, but tho children were apparently an obstacle, and ho could not get aay help. Subsequently he tried another registry office. Here the woman said she would no\ bother to take his name. The fact was that if he (Mr. Makgill) could tell them (the registry office-keepers) where to lay hands on 300 domestic helps, the whole lot could bo placed the next morning. One delegate suggested that in place of tlio word "servants", in tho motion, the word "helps" might bo substituted. A voice: "Everybody seems to object to calling a spade . a spade. nowadays." (Laughter.) The motion, was then put, and carried unanimously.