THE DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12506, 6 April 1909, Page 2

THE DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT. The following is the text of the women's petition to Parliament, praying that free immigration be instituted tor young women in the United Kinedoni, suitable for domestic service :— To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives in Parliament Assembled. — The Petition of . the undersigned women: of the Dominion of New Zealand, humbly sheweth:— I. That your petitioners are women ?he bp nf m f lniOn + ° f New Zealand over S &? f twen *y-one. years, f Ihat your petitioners desire to ihftTtr,^ Do V ce <> f - the fact that there has been for some Jf"? P as * a . g«at decrease in the number of girls and single women of fenng themselves for domestic se^ce SSr^Sft l^ a disi^«ation on their part to. follow such avocation re li^rf conchti ™ of things has been rendered more acute owing to the increasing demand for women workers re«uT manufaotu .™g industries* fa ffiS3f"S§ff Bto operation of the IPlfi ion *S?* Z^Z P e «tJ??ers are of opin- - 8: son. of the conditions obtaining hut nesS ° V? eS the Peace and %P - ness ol the home are seriously affected and your petitioners are awoJe ofW beis who have already given up nousT keeping byVeason of the matters com" Plained of and they view with ,Z fe"o?nSy.^ tUre ° f the home 4.1 8 I - V ? ur -Petitioners would point out ctVwhrs* t e fl ;? althy nor e »- to -d* class who suffer the most acutely hv ITZ ? the d °f th °t domestic^or?. by V™ * fT h - ci ' S Oi - such class can, by reason of their .position, obtain domestjc workers by Llding out mdueementaof increased salary and other privileges and conditions which the majority of the housewives of the country find it impossible to concede J. lour petitioners strongly disavow anjrmtention of objecting \o thSJ™ sent standard of wages for domestic woikers, or of suggesting the adoption oi any measure which might directly or indirectly have the effect of reducing such wages, which your petitioners regard as one. of the. chief attractions to the immigrant. 10. Your petitioners are aware that settlers even slightly removed from centres of population find it in numerous cases impossible- to procure that help which is essential in the case of a mother with a young family. 11. Your petitioners would also"emphasise the fact disclosed by the Ree-lstrar-General's returns that there were on 31st March,l9oß, 61,000 more mifv an fema l es in the Dominion. 4.1 fx^ our . P etiti oners are of opinion that the grievances under which many oi the women of the Dominion labour could.be "remedied, if. not entirely removed, by the Government adopting for a time .a system of free immigration for single young- 'women" suitable for domestic service. 13. Your petitioners are also of opinion that the free" immigration of strong, willing and able single women of good character, even if without previous experience in domestic service, would at once prove of great benefit to numbers of ever-worked mothers and women of the Dominion, whija such a movement, by reason of tKjj girls ultimately marrying aiid settling in the country, must make for the closer settlement and future prosperity of our land. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray :— (a) That the grievances under which your' petitioners labour may receive the careful consideration of the honourable members of the House of Repisentatives. ' " (b) That steps may immediately be taken by the Government of the Dominion to establish a system of free immigration from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, for single young women of good health and character, who are suitable for and willing to follow the calling of domestic service. ■.. ....-, (c) That with the' view of obtaining a class of single young women suitable to the requirements of the Dominion, the- Government "establish a bureau, and that such be placed under women of experience,- .intimately acquainted with the. condition of things here obtaining, and with a proper knowledge of the description of the f rture colonist required. (d) That such young women when selected, be placed under suitable and oflicient matrons immediately prior to embarkation," and remain under such supervision during the voyage, and after arrival in the Dominion until such time as suitable positions shall have been found for them.