Housewives’ Views On Shortage Of Domestic Help

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 October 1948, Page 5

Housewives’ Views On Shortage Of Domestic Help

[SPECIAL TO STAltl

WELLINGTON, This Day

As the housewives see it, the Government’s refusal, to allow age beneficiaries to earn more than £1 a week above their pensions has a direct bearing on the appalling shortage of domestic help in New Zealand.

It is their opinion, after extensive investigation into the matter, that the numbers of willing and able pensioners who would be available for work of this kind were their pensions not jeopardised would assist greatly in relieving a very serious situation. At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Housewives’ Association, it was resolved to approach the Government recommending /that age beneficiaries be permitted to earn whatever they could above their pensions. Although the association _is concerned primarily with the relief ui domestic help problems (relating to both men and women in undertaking household tasks and the mindirig cf children), it has also found as a result of its investigations that still more of today’s vexing problems might be solved were its recommendations enforced. Fewer hospital beds would be occupied by the aged, who with insufficient stimulus to workrand' nowhere to live, were in reality only bored and apathetic. If they were able to “live in” and earn a small wage for light duties in private . hemes, it would reduce the burden placed on old people’s homes as regards accommodation and staffing. ' The public heavily taxed to keep up hosiptalisation and homes for the aged, would also feel the benefit.