DOMESTIC SERVANTS' ASSOCIATION A WARNING.

Evening Star, Issue 8279, 26 July 1890, Page 3

DOMESTIC SERVANTS' ASSOCIATION A WARNING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sts, —Mias Morriaon, in her letter of your issue of to-day, while sotting forth the “ true aims and objects” of the above Association, says :—“lt is purposed also to have a residence home attached to the school, presided over by a kindly, motherly woman, where homeless girls when out of a situation will feel and know that they have a real and true home to go to, to rest and prepare themselves for another situation.” Now, doubtless Miss Morriaon and the members of the Domestic Servants’ Union—perhaps, indeed, most of your readers—are quite unaware that several years ago a large sum of money was collected by home energetic Dunedin ladies for just such an object, A suitable and substantial brick or atone building was constructed for the purpose, and still stands in a central situation as a monument of mistaken philanthropy. It was well appointed, provided with “ a kindly motherly woman,” and all other necessaries, with the single exception of the servants whom it was intended to benefit They simply refrain from using it. Then, as now, the good ones were never but of work excepting when they wished to be (in order to visit their friends, for instance) ; and the bad ones, 1 suppose, with the independence of the class, did not care to be under surveillance when out of service. The population of Dunedin has increased since those days, but the supply of domestic servants is no greater, in proportion to the demand, than it was then. t think that both registration and training of servants v/cro included among the advantages of the home. But perhaps some lady who was closely connected with it will kindly give us some fuller particulars of the failure, bo that we may learn from experience, and not waste our time and money over a similar, useless, and unnecessary project,—-I am, etc., Mokxixutox. Woruiugton, July 24.