Domestic Servants’ Union

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 13

Domestic Servants’ Union

Sir,--! am v. riling an answer to the letter in last Saturday - ,s “Doiitiuion” op Ibe Mlbject of domestic ser\ants. Evidently "Harassed Mother’ has very little idea us to the benefit a domestic servants’ union would be to the employers of girls. An appointed union official would he inspecting the competency and cleanliness of every member of the said union. Their wages would correspond only with their capabilities. “Harassed Mother” states that she_ is an ardent social worker; well, 1, like like others, think that all social work begins in a householder’s own home, and if a woman has taken on the responsibilities of motherhood a.s well as wifehood and home-maker, she should at least be competent enough to train her employees in being as competent as Mie is herself. I wonder if “Harassed Mother” has ever considered what social outcasts her poor incompetent nmidis are in the scheme of things? Has she ever tried her so-called social welfare on her slovenly maids? I I suggest that if she cannot succeed in curing het- maids, that she would be far better oeenpied in slaying at home training herself in the practice of managing these poor impertinent girls who have no proper upbringing. Most wives and mothers who have the I rue social instinct, one will find, keep their maids for years on end, anil their households hold no upsetting theories, let alone practices. The whole problem boiled down seems to point to (ho fact that the women in New Zealand seem to have a.s little idea how to treat a .girl in their employ, as they have of taking on any of the higher things in life. 'file'women here seem to me to lack any initiative whatever; here in New Zealand, which has the mime of being one of Britain's most democratic dominions, one would think the women would be democratic enough to understand the young woman's idea of freedom, especially the young women, who have so little of this so-called freedom. Ami yet on all sides otic hears nothing but ridicule for a proposed domestics’ union. It would lie a great step onward I'm- New Zealand girls. As one can sec by the letters appearing in tho I’ri-ss. something i.s urgently needed, lliqiiiig Io some tiny see a domestics’ union, I. am. el* 1 .. .1 EM IMA. Wellington, May I I.