WAGES FOR WIVES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1263, 19 October 1911, Page 4

WAGES FOR WIVES.

"MX ORDINARY DAY'S WORK." "Another Back-blockor on a Government Farm" writes:— Sir,—l read with interest the letter from tho back-blocks re wages for wives. May another back-b'ocker also add her hope that eucli a tiling will bo made law— that every married woman would be ablu to claim an allowance, eillicr inonHily or weekly, to spend tor herself, on heifoll' or in any way stio pleases ? I also live in tho "backs" on a farm, and am not blessed with very good health lately owing to the hard work. 1 rise at 1 a.m., nui'ko tea. light tires, and go to the cowyard and milk fourteen cows. Between every swv ond cow 1 rush to the house to fee that my fivo young children are all right; perhaps stop a few minute to prepare boliy's Iwttlo, and give a picce to the children, then back to the cows. At 7.30 catch horse, harness and put him into the milk cart. Then a rush to get two children; ready for school, and the rest wasned 1 and dressed, and then breaklnst to cook, Ali'O to nrako porridge for 24 calves, which, alter .''settling" baby, I havo to ieoil. This taken me until ten, and yet I have not wasted a minute. Then I come inside and iaco chaos. By t.lio timo dishes and kitchen uro washed it is 10.30, and time to cook dinner. This is dono between hurried rushes to make beds and sweep rooms, alto perhaps attend to baby. Dinner at 12 sharp, and then a great fly round to do a littio washing, scrubbing, and cleaning till 3 o'clock. Then porridge to make, calves to leed, bath baby, and gel utternoon tea, prepare vegetables, etc., lor children's dinn"T when homo lrom tchool, and oil' to milk tlwso evrrlnsnng cows, with trips between each ono to E«e to tho dinner and baby. Dinner any lime between 7.30 and ti o'clock. Then there lire four sleepy and cross chimren to wash and put io bed, and the di«hcs and i»;h to wash up, and perhaps the Ixiby to wako up in the middle ot the rrorlt. At U my husband goes u> bed, as a man must havo his sleep as he has to itork luii'dcr llum a woman. At; O.IK) 1 look over tiie cliitdron's clothes and darn, renew buttons, etc., and iron a lew things. This is my ordinary <!«y's work, and tho washing days come, and these mornings 1 rise at 3 o'clock and retire at 12. i never go visiting, and have iwt Ixvn to church for live years, and jret il 1 ask for a little loose mor.oy it is "what rail you want il lor I'" I certainly can order anything in reason that 1 waul; but it I only had as littio as ss. a week it would feet so much more my own. licJore 1 married 1 earned „Cl a week. Sometimes I just long to send for something pretty, and not "stern utility." Son.o women will understand what 1 mean. My gloat hankering is for a laeey o(>cu-work biousa —I who havo worn nothing but a stiff shirt Ulouso and collar for ten years; and if I confessed to such a lending > they would think mo daft. Reconti'y i had a sovero illness—rheumatic lever* through feeding calves in a southerly. During this limo niy husbruul had 'io pav «i uuux 25h. a, week to do tho same outside work which I had been doing, mid ot court's the food for calve*, etc., had to be prepared for him. \et if I b?1;«1 iiiv tawband for a sovereign ho would want to know what, I wanted it for, end le!l mo that I would be better employed digging my garden than going o;it spjiiding iicixN earned money on rubbish. 1 would not adviso any girl to mnrrv a dairy tanner m a small way, unlet* sho \vj\s Iv his second wifc-when she could ivtin tho benefits of the ill ft wife's toil. I; !s toil and very litlie praise or ha'iem'e. and in inv opinion the wi\'« of dairy far. .is should receive n fair wire tr' pV husbamls should bo lined for h'tv Jprn during the time the wife •'» d/v farm work and hrr .-wii dtii;-:. in ;!,« house as well—in nxilitv carni'.ig wie ami lie! J lv " ,|ts ' What <!? vou st,'. Mr. Editor? Can't thc-e well-fed and piw>v T . ous genl. rmeu in J'arliamcnl do fer Perhaps it would luii-> iu« Commission out of miwhi.-i ■ i: (0 thev can solid t.liom a'oni*---ini'," (m.. n"H wo.como visitor is the oiie tlult bniigs 1 bucket alonj.