THE GIRL PROBLEM

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1802, 19 September 1906, Page 22

THE GIRL PROBLEM

WANTED GENERALS, HOUSEMAIDS, NURSEGIRLS! DOMESTIC LIFE IMPERILLED. “If we could only get a decent girl,” said Mrs Smith to Mrs Brown, “I would be able to come and see you, but we have spent pounds advertising and not a soul comes near us. Oh, yes; there was one (this with a weary emilo), but she smelt strongly of drink, and wished to know if we were prohibitionists.” Mrs Brown (childless) sympathized with Mrs Smith (who has three), and promised to see if she could not ‘look up a girl.” Four weeks have elapsed since; the advertisement is almost a “standing” one; but still Mrs Smith battles on with her three little ones and the house —bereft of hope, and almost praying for the quick passage of the next few years that will see the children able to fend for themselves. This girl trouble is regarded as something of a joke by the unmarried and by visitors from less afflicted places, but in Wellington it is a grim business for the women—a struggle that transforms the bright colours of young motherhood into a dull, uniform grey, and leads to pensive reflection on single days when life was much more pleasant

“It is a handful to look after two oi three children alone,” said one sympathetic old body who was lamenting the condition of things in Wellington. “And if the woman has to make the beds, clean up the house, and cook the meals well, life is little short of tragedy.” »■ The old lady put it rather strongly, perhaps, but it is drudgery—sheer drudgery. Then the husband — the brute —must bo attended to! ! ! If the way to a single man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to a married one’s consideration, leaving the heart out of the question, depends on what he is given to eat. A single man talks a lot about bis heart to his sweetheart —a married man is mostly given to chatting to his wife about his liver. Here the absence of “the girl” is a factor not to be smiled at. This is the soi*t of thing it is leading to: The wife toils away at one thing and another all day while “keeping an eye” on the children; suddenly, finding it near one or six o’clock a pan is thrown on to a gas-ring and a few sausages or a piece of steak is tossed into it —and so the lord and master is fed! No man, if he he the average good sort, will stand sausages, steak, or chops for weeks on end. One day he cries aloud for a decent meal. Of course, the burden falls upon his wife. Sharp, angry words pass. Mealtime comes again—and the same old sausage (children crying). The man flees to the nearest restaurant, and orders oyster stew, leaving his wife to mingle her tears with those of her brood, in absolute despair at her utter incapacity to do better. This is the “girl” trouble—a grave peril to domestic happiness. If that woman had a girl to look after the children, she might have essayed soups —even omelettes. Charlie would have beamed across the ample provender. But the “help” is a missing quantity. It may lead to us becoming a cafedining race, a la Americane —peculiar people who regard roundrthe-fireside traditions as something associated with the mammoth and other things extinct. What is the use of discussing the cause? The “girl” naturally looks for . the maximum amount of freedom com- . bined* with wages sufficient to fashion her attire as nearly as possible on the lines of an operatic “star.” The term' “ip., service” has fallen into disrepute ‘ among the sex, and girls would sooner work in a factory for eight hours a day, walk the streets in the evening, and sponge" on their parents for hoard and; residence than accept a good wage, a good home, and good food for domestic service rendered. “Service” has in some way become a by-word to such an extent that even the offer of ample liberty will not tempt girls—oh, dear, no! They would sooner work at dressmaking at 10s a week than accept 12s 6d or 15s “in service.” The secret of this attitude is that the smart shop or factory-girl has a better chance of catching a husband than the other, hut the man —the poor old man—who is influenced by her slangy smartness has to pay for it before long; whereas the girl who has “played the game of housekeeping” has usually a pretty fair notion of what spells happiness in a home. If men were wise In on© day the following advertisements appeared in the local press:— “Wanted, good general, wages £1 per week. Four in family.”, “Wanted, a general, every* evening off, good wages.” “Wanted, housemaid, wages 155.” - “Wanted, good general, no washing, nice home.” As most of these advertisements were repeated the next day, and some of them are “standing,” it is fair to assume that the “girl” requires something more. One advertised for a situation the other day—said that she must have four “evenings off” (and every Sunday), and must be allowed the use of the piano for one ' s fLour daily. The advertisement did not re-appear, and the conclusion is that 6 he has been engaged. So desperate is the situation that we have little doubt the '‘girl .advertisement” of the future will read something like the following: _lady desires to have the assistance of another. Hours, from 10 a m. to' 1 ‘4 p.rti. Meals served in' private room ; free use of drawing-room for own

afternoons. Salary, £IOO per annum. Willing to wait upon any applicant, if address forwarded to 5558, Wellington Terrace. No references required.” A short time ago a lady arrived from London with a batch of domestic servants, who practically came “to order,” Now- that the Government has ceased the importation of “navvies,” perhaps the High Commissioner may be instructed to arrange for the shipment to New Zealand of a few thousand English housemaids to save the sweet domesticity of home-life in New Zealand, for it stands in imminent risk of early dissolution^ To what all this is tending only the seer and crystal-gazer may know. Perhaps it will mean the establishment of huge Government institutions for the care of children. This would give the mothers an opportunity of catering for the fathers, and bringing about a pleasanter state of tilings in the home. It would be impossible to conjecture how the institution-bred children would turn out without home influence and indifferent cooking, but the system would give infinite relief. In the meantime tlie old “wanted” advertisement plays its part sturdily with small effect, and the inexplicable “girl trouble” grows more and more acute.