DOMESTIC HELP

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1942, Page 4

DOMESTIC HELP

1 ACUTE AUCKLAND SHORTAGE. AUCKLAND, Nov. 2b. Evidence of the acute problem ot providing adequate domestic help for familits mav be found in the scheme I under which Rarotongan girls have 1 teen brought to New Zealand for I employment in household duties. Manpower offices and employment agencies report, that the supply of domestic labour is insufficient to meet the demands for generals and other helps. This was no new or novel state of affairs, remarked authorities, and while admitting that the difficulties of finding labour were more pronounced to-day, they said they nad existed even before the war. 'lhe attraction of high wages and shorter hours in factories and business establishments was very strong and since the introduction of regulations, governing the placement of female labour for war purnoses and recruitment for the women’s units the potential source of labour had been further diminished. There were still many famines ■ which by reason ot age and infirmity and other causes had to rely on hired labour. ihe claims of such families were fully considered, stated an official, when domestics were called upon to register for national service.