DOMESTIC SERVANTS PROBLEM.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12474, 26 February 1909, Page 3

DOMESTIC SERVANTS PROBLEM.

MEETING OF LADIES, . lUniteo Press Association:} - v ; c ■ Christchurch, Feb 25. A meeting of ladies was held this afternoon for the matter of considering what steps should be taken to deal with the .present difficulty in the way of obtaining domestic servants, ihere was a very large attendance of ladies, and Mrs Cracroft Wilson presided. Several apologies for absence were received and the writers expressed their approval of the proposal to urge the Government to establish a tree^- immigration system from Eng-land-for servants. + JMts Cracroft Wilson, in opea'jig the meeting said the idea" was to petition Parliament to restore ihe tree passage, system for women servants. The whole success of the scheme would depend upon the wi v i% was carried out by the Government. iVL 1 " 8 from Scotland and some parts of Ireland were considered, to be Hie most suitable ; for sending out, whila the Scandinavian girls had been recommended by the Hon G, F6wlds. but objection had; been taken to the importing of any but English girls. An important reason why the Government should give free passage to single women was that girls would be under more authorised supervision. ,Tiiey would, have a speciakpart of tr o ship arranged for them, as in the early days, and would have one oi more matrons-to take ; charge of them on the voyage, i anij ilso. on ttheirr r arrival. Mr Fowlds had said in ans ; wer_ to a deputation from the Ship Owners' Union that he feared :the liability tp be inijuiired ih finding employment for the domestic helps" as soon as they land, but she did not think that difficulty would last very lorig. _ She had been told by captains of ships that they received letters on getting to Hobart to engage suitable people who were coming out as passengers,, to the great embarrassment of the captain sometimes. On other ships, the passengers engaged servants who were" on their way to New Zealand before they landed. Mrs Hawdon, who had inaugurated .the proposal leading to the holding of^tbe meeting, then moved: "That in the opinion of this meeting the women of New Zealand should petition our Parliament to restore for some time at least State free passages to single women "suitable for domestic service." " ' " ' The. motion was" seconded by Ml?s Colborne, Veel, who said she thoroughly agreed with the view's of the previous speaker.. The School of Domestic Instruction was giving instruction to.; tl\e girls in the upper, standards, But of " the girls trained very few went. into. dp.naps.tic service, and "Tihose- were, not always the brightest. The others went into factories and shops. ' - After i considerable • discussion the motion was carried, and a committee was set up to bring the matter before the ladies in other parts of New Zealand in order' that a set of petitions might be presented to' Partiairieut.