DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1907, Page 2

DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

The domestic servant question appears to be exercising the public mind as much in England as in New Zealand. The same difficulty is apparent, and a like remedy suggested. According to last returns in England and Wales alone there arc 1,330,783 females employed ns domestic indoor servants, whilst, the total number of females aged 10 years and upwards engaged in occupations was 4,171,751. From this it appears that nearly one-third of the occupied female population of England find Wales are domestic servants, and that domestic'service is not only the largest women’s industry, but the largest single industry {or either men or women. The census for 1901 also shows, however, that it is declining very rapidly. Whereas in 1881 there were 123 employed in domestic service out of every 1000 females of and above 10 years, in 1891 there was only 121, and in 1901 the drop is still more striking, as it falls to 101. One thing appears certain amid all the changes of later years, social and industrial—the problem of domestic service seems to bo where it was a century ago. Another thing appears equally certain—domestic service is becoming an unpopular calling for women and girls. Well, who is to blame —the mistress or the maid? The true answer is, there are faults on both sides. But the main cause of unpopulariy is not a, dislike to household work, but a, dislike to the inferior position sought to be allotted to domestic helps. So long as she is looked down upon as something lower in the social strata so long will domestic service remain unpopular. Let the domestic be treated like any other calling, and the diffi- ■ culty in obtaining such help will disappear.