DOMESTIC HELP

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 275, 14 August 1920, Page 7

DOMESTIC HELP

(To tho Editor.) Sir.—The remarks iu tho House by Mr. Holland on the subject of discouraging tho immigration of women from Great Britain are so oSVibusly misleading that ouo can. only suppose that they were made in pursuance of tho avowed policy of the Labour Party and in tho hope thnt_ publicity might be given to them in Engtand. Thousands of distressed housewives in New Zealand are struggling single-handed'to bring up their families, and'are unable to get any assistance even by offering wages up to £2 per week; and-1 have not heard for years of eveu a schoolgirl who has just passed her standards whp would accept whut Mr. Holland says is the average wage of M per week. Will Mr. Holland tell us whero these women can be found who will accept '.his wage? By doing so he will confer an enormous boon on the mothers of this country. The situation of farmers' w-ives in New Zealand is in innDy' cases' truly pitiable. The woman has to bear and bring up her family, and to cook and wash for them, and do all tho innumerable duties thai devolve on a wife and __ mother, _ and also cook for'ail the labour required on tho farm, and little consideration docs she receive, from ..Hie average working man, who is aggrieved if he does not get his tea and hot scones at his morning and [.afternoon "smoke-oh," in addition to his other meals.

Mr. Holland spenKs of the fsnobbifhnes* of the rich, and says_ that this is the cause of the sliortajte' of domestic hell). 1 should Tfkc to lie.tr Jlr. Holland's; definition of a. snob. Certainly the farmers' wives whoso sad case I have spoken of above do not deserve the title. For myself, I should apply it to the working man. who does not like to bo se-.-n "walking out" witli Mrs. A.'s cook, but prefers to associate with typewriters or. factory (fills, who have never learnt to si ill a chop or cook a potato properly. This. I am told, is a real hindrance to KeUin» girls (o take up domestic work, and if anyone win give me a better illustration of what real enoboiy is. I shall beglad to'hear of it. ■ While writing on the subject of domestic help, I think it is high time that there should be some alteration'in the system of licensing registry oftices. The present system of fees in proportion to wages is n direct incentive lo the rcgistries to raise wages by every means in their power, and is very unfair to employers. Any woman who has the pu'sfortune to employ a large staff can give instances of girls being tempted by the registry officer to ask for higher wages than slip wouid have dreamt of demanding linivclf. The "domestic help" has oniv herself to thank if sho is not the best-off woman in tho Dominion to-day, as she is hardly affected by tho increased cost of living.—l am, etc., . ' ■' " • • A.S.T. August G. 1920.

The treasurer of tho fjro'ua County Council reported ht Thursday's meeting '".that .the amount of' general rates collect ed for 'the year 1920-21 was wCI"93 , 7b. Id. '