THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 65, 23 April 1914, Page 4

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE.

.So much has been written with a view of drawing down symjmthy upon the overworked and neglected domestic help that just for once a glimpse at the other side of the picture may be worth considering. One often hears

the cry of the thoughtless mistress, | but what about the shortcomings of the maid? asks " E.L." in the Sydney " Telegraph." One takes it that the ground-work What the Labour Party calls the '' betterment of the state of the domestic help " carries with it something in the way of reciprocal good behaviour on j the .part of the servant. Well, what j do we find? An utter thoughtlessness and carelessness for the care or comfort | of the mistress in poor health, and in a very great many eases that notice j is given as soon as illness or the prospect of another baby is discovered. | The woman who does not feel for the distracted house-mother at such a time is very little deserving of consideration herself," and too often the domestic help has to thank herself if she has to

take a bad place, for she. has often, by her own wrong-doing, closed the doors of the considerate mistress against her applications. Quite recently a domestic worker from New Zealand applied to a Government official for work, and was placed in an exceptional home at 15s a week. She was a rather poor worker, and, besides having no knowledge of cooking, had never seen gas*or a gas stove. However, the mistress was endowed with patience and pity for a girl so utterly unfitted for life ; s battle, and taught her to cook and to use the gas stove to its fullest advantage. At the end of six weeks the following note was discovered at 11 p.m. from the help, who had betaken kerself off without any other notice.: " Left. Not coming back. I am starting in a new place to-morrow," and signed —" Now, if mistresses are to be subjected t v o this sort thing, who can expect them to care much for the comfort or convenience of the maids. Even suppose the girl was able to better herself, why not an honest admission of her intention, and at least the statutory week's notice, which she would certainly demand (in court if necessary) at the hands of her. employer.