THE SERVANT'S LOT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 105, 31 October 1923, Page 7

THE SERVANT'S LOT

PLEA FOR CONSIDERATION

CONTEMPTUOUS TERMS.

(unitSd press association.—copyright.)

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received 31st October, 10.15 a.m.)

LONDON, 30th October. The Domestic Service Committee set up by the Minister of Labour, in its report just published, states that the pavnient of unemployment benefits to women had really little to d 0 with the shortago of domestic workers.

The shortage was being exploited by many employment registries, where bylaws regulating their methods do not really exist.

The intimate relationship between domestic servants and their employers was the crux of both the happiness and unhappiness of domestic service, A maid servant's place of business was also her home. In cases where employers refiognised this fact, and treated the maid ao a member ofthe household, an atmosphere of mutual affection, loyalty, and consideration was engendered, making happiness inevitable.

Maids who had given evidence agreed that it was not the employers so much a a their own friends and relatives who looked down upon domestic service. But the public wwe not altogether free fro-n blame. The constant caricaturing of maid servants as dirty, harassed and impertinent, and the use of contemptuous terms, such as " skivey " and slavey, were significant. The committee earnestly hopes that .ni^selhr^yi 1-^ idespreadincon^