PUBLIC OPINION.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1742, 18 February 1921, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

A HOSTEL FOR MISTRESSES. {To the Editor.) Sir, —I noticed in this week's edition of the "Free Lance" a paragraph referring 1o the training of domestic workers in the Hawke's Baydistrict. Quito a splendid idea, but in order to perfect the work a hostel should be built and mistresses should be trained how to treat their maids, lor I am quite sure if girls were treated better there would be more harmony between mistress and maid. In the first place before training the ladies I would give them one week of the same treatment that is given to maids. For instance, when a general holiday approaches I would tell them they could take the day off, being careful to see they did half-a-days work before-hand and should' they happen to be late home, to insinuate they had lost their self-respect by so doing. I would let them cook a chicken for dinner and leave them the drumsticks to make a meal their knives should be misshaped and their forks have twisted prongs. After working them 10 hours a day at the least and mostly 12 I would make them sit in the cheerless kitchen on a hard chair and force them to sew by one high sas jet. If women would only love and help a little more their own characters and service to themselves would be .improved. I have lived in good homos and have been well treated (considering'! am only a servant) and on the whole T keep my places well even though I have constantly been subjected to the treatment I have described above. The addition of a sitting room for maids where they can sit at night with their friends is a long felt want," a few would abuse the privilege, but the average girl would enjoy and appreciate the home element, which is lacking in domestic work. If only_ the fdrls could find a leader and form* a union with fixed hours and more pay it would induce ginls to remain in domestic work, and surely we are worthy, of this. It is true the wages are higher than they were before the war, but the actual spending power of a pound is ten shillings which means the average wage of to-day (30/-) is really worth 15/6. The last position I held I cooked for 200 people at a dance supper besides my ordinary work and received the magnificent reward of 10/- after working the entiro night of the dance and cooking breakfast for 22 people the next morning. That money with more added was spent at the doctors. That mistress was well trained all right but only for her own ends. Trusting to see this in print I remain, Yours truly, "GRAFTER."