LETTER FROM NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1296, 30 September 1876, Page 21

LETTER FROM NEW ZEALAND.

• (John 0' Groat Journal, July 20th.)

The following is from anative of Caithness to her friends at home ; and though - not written for publication,, will, we believe, ,be read with interest by many who have relations in Otago (or have ' thought of emigrating to that colony), where the wrioer is a domestic servant : —

Dear Friends, — Having now been a considerable time in this country, seen a good deal of it, , and shad, experience of, domestic service, I proceed, as I promised, to. give you some 1 idea of it. The general appearance . of the country is ,f ar more beautiful than I had any idea of, \ and the cities, villages, villas, &c., are | really magnificent; even the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow are not to be named the same day as Dunedin. The houses are smaller than those in the home country, but they are so beautiful and tastefully dono up outside and in. I have had several fine drives through the interior, which I enjoyed very much, seeing beautiful scenery, and many splendid farms in the cultivated districts, where crops of all kinds grow in rich luxuriance. I visited several dairy farms, at one of which I saw the process of churning on a large scale. In a short space of time 100 lbs. of butter was manufactured, that being the weekly average. They don't make cheese of the milk, but feed pigs with it, which pays better. Pork sells very high here— ls to Is 2d per lb. I have also had excellent opportunities of mixing' withj and observing the habits of the people. They all seem very comfortable, eaßy-minded like, and do not work nearly so hard as those in the home country. ' The women here are very pale and delicate looking, especially the young women who 'were born in the country. In town and country it is all the same ; very few of them do any outside work at all. I also had the privilege of being pre- , sent at the examination of several highclasa schools, which was a perfect treat. The school-rooms were tastefully decorated with ferns and flowers, and the j walls were quite covered with fancy work j made by the elder girls — antimacassars, daisy mats, tea cosies, window hangings, I children's petticoats, stockings, &c, in great variety. It was just like a bazaar. A great number of parents and visitors | were present very richly dressed. The female scholars were moutly dressed in white, and looking very pretty. Then what delight it gave us to hear the children reading, reciting, singing, &c. In one school a grand exercise the boys went through was a debate, in which 16 of them took part, the question being " Are the mental capacities of the sexes equal ?" After a long, amusing, and instructive discussion, it was decided that they are equal. The day following an examination is generally . devated to pic-nics,. games, &0., in which- the parents took part with I apparent delight. You may ■ imagine . what fun' it would be to see mothers in I th& ring -with the little ones playing' at !i! i M How many miles ' to Babylon 1 Three ''Bcdre and' ten." It all passed' 'off very 1 1 pleasantly.

■The pe6ple herd are ■ generally , most kind and considerate. 'Those who require', ser'v.ants especially riee<J,,to be, as they, are rather the obliged than, the obliging. I have now been a considerable time cook in one of the first families in Dunedin, and have been very indulgently treated. When I came 1 to this country I found I was very ignorant of , cooking, everything is so differently done from what I was used to, so I had to set to and learn I the colonial ways, and have succeeded remarkably well, so much so that few can compete with me now in some things. j My wages is at the rate of £40 a-year. ' Besides I have got some valuable presents from my mistress. I have not nearly so I hard work here as many (if not mosb) 1 servants in Caithness have, ,though kept pretty constantly busy. The manner of living is very different from tlie home country. Butcher mdat is taken generally 1 three times a-d'ay, with lots of vegetables, I so, that preparing from. two to six courses for each meal requires, a cool head' and aciive hands Women don't often milk cows in this country. With us the co'achmari .'milks the cows, feeds the fowls, dog, &c, brings in the vegetables, cleans the knives, boots, &c, and often .tvashes the dishes for me. • , ■ ' ' •■ I wish I could prevail on a lot of Caithness girls to come out here, where they could have easier work, no fear getting, a good situation, • and wages from £25 to £50 a-year. Experienced cooks command the latter figure. Ship after ship arrives with .scores of, young men and women from the large cities at home. Most of the girls have been in factories or shops, and know nothing about housework,' and what is worse they will not learn, and there is no need for factory girls here. j The inferiority of the servants occasions a great deal of changing. It will seem incredible to you that eighteen have come and gone in our house during the past four ! months. There is no fear of any one I getting down in the ■ world here if they have health and do their best, and not speculate ' too largely. I . have before stated the wages of domestic servants, and may now state that young men who, can plough and do farm work get from £50 to £60 a-year and found ; experienced hands get, more. I know several young men serving at farm-houses near Dunedin whose wages range from £65 to £80 a-year and found. • „...,' I have seen a good many Caithness people in different parts of the country, ' I some of them' old acquaintances ' and schoolmates," in prosperous circumstance's.. A. S. has a fine farm, well stppked, .^in , the Taieri plain. His. brother T. is a farm-manager in t the north of the .province,- having an 'income of £^100 -a-year, s'evoral cows, kept, and other- liberal allowances., R. T. who came but here, last year sent home ten pounds to his parents by last mail. (How long would he have to' work in Caithness before he could spare so much ?) C. N. in company with another has two large shops for the sale of boots and shoes, most of which are imported ready made from Germany, as' that is much cheaper than . to buy the materials , and get ' them ' made up here. Workmanship pf, every ..description is ' very costly here) though , the raw material can be bought about ' as cheaply as at home. • We ' pay 16s. for making up a plain dress, and other things 'in proportion. Very .light kid boots, (and the lighter the better for town wear) cost 14b. to 18s per pair. ' • | About advising you or any one else' to come out here, I would need to be very cautious, because some after coming here take a dislike to the- place, and are never satisfied ; but for any one who wishes >to do well, has the capacity to .learn what' they' do not know, and won't' be discouraged at trifles, this is this place. , , , , This is the beginning ,of winter here. 1 It ' is not very cold, but a good doal ■of rain has fallen recently I .' ' ' •• t With kind remembrances to' you.'all,' I remain, yours affectionately, „; , C. , Dunedin, May Ist, 1876. . .