SCARCITY OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 579, 20 March 1909, Page 4

SCARCITY OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS.

MEETING OF LADIES IN TEMUIvA,

A meeting of ladies was held in the I. Temuka Parish Hall on Thursday £ afternoon to discuss the advisability of raising a monster petition from the female voters of New Zealand to bo presented to next Parliament, for the restoration for a time of Government free immigration of single women sui.tr ed for domestic service. There were tilteen ladies present, and Mrs Buxton, Mayoress, presided. Airs Buxton explained that (the meeting had been called at the request of Mrs Allison, Mayoress of • Christchurch, and Mrs J. Cracroft Wilson, chairwoman of a meeting of women held in Chris tchurch, at winch it was decided to petition Parliament to resume the free immigration of single women suitable lor domestic service. She Of' - * Buxton) did not know much about me subject, not having studied it, but there were no doubt some present who 'had done so. She read apologies from four ladies who were unable to attend the meeeing, but expressed their sympathy with its object. . Mrs J. ,S. Hayes proposed—' ihat in the opinion of this meeting the women of New Zealand should petition Parliament to restore, at any rate, for some time, State free emigration 01 single women suitable lor domestic service." ■Mrs Hayes said she thought it would bo a good thing, as there did not seem enough women to fill a,l the places that were vacant. She had no doubt that women would sympathise with the movement, and it now rested with them to get as much help as possible to carry it forward. Mrs Cutten seconded the motion, saying that she sympathised with the proposal, as there did not seem to bo enough girls to fill the positions. Mirs Hk'wdow (Peel Forest) said there was an undoubted dearth of young women willing to enter domestic service. ,If they could bo got in one place they could not in another, and the'wives 'and mothers of. families with cooking, washing, and starchling, an:l general household work had to work day and night. Im the old .days it 'was hot so, for a mother co.uld always get someone to help her to do the" washing and rough work. Newspaper writers said if mistresses treated their girls in a more Christian way girls would not be so anxious to go into offices and factories. This was nonsense. A few might not treat their girls as they ought to do, but it was not so in the great majority, of cases. There wore not enough young women to go round. Under present circumstances their children had practically to be 'brought up by the State. They attended a State school, and go to Sunday school, but the mother had n,o time to be with them, and give

them tho attention', care, and discipline that they ought to receive at her hand. Mrs- Haw-don. gave illustrative cases in Christchurch , and the North Island where in homes there wore piles of work, awl help could not be got. When a good servant was got, after • a time she married, and the mistress could not get another. Some would tell them that girls could not I.x; got even in England. The reason was because in England they wanted trained servants. It was quite different out here, where mistresses were quite willing to teach girls if they could only get them. It was not fair for b\\u Government to oiler to pay I's towards the fare of female immigrants if the immigrant or person nominating her could iind the other XI 2. 31 any could not iii'.d the other £l2. The immigratio.n of women had been stoppod about tVJ years ago, as it was said the sys|oin must bo stopped to keep wages up. They did uo-t want to bring wages down, but they wanted girls, and now they could not get them at any price. When a girl went to a registry ofliee wive generally asked whether any more servants were kept, and always preferred a place where there were two or three. Then they asked whether there were any children, and did not earo to go if there were. She mentioned :u>, instance of a heme she had visited a short time ago, where the mistress—a young woman with two children'—'had found it -impossible to get girls. The Hon. Mr Fowkls had said they would have to. semi for Scandinavian girls, but there were, plenty of girls in Scotland and Ireland who would be willing and glad to oome. Oiw -lady when at Home found no IrouTjk- in getting 50. Jt w a s said that tin; girls who are here now would object, but -what objection could -they have except selfishness '! Why not let sojii" of our sisters and cousins come and share with us this beautiful country '! She kni'w of a place where scvmi servants

were wanted. and for n time they could only yet one. It was said thai the Government wen: afraid of the Lii-bo'ur Party, but she did not think they should object ? If the petition wen' signed 'by the ma-

jority of women they would evt, what

they asked for. But to uvl tilie-c signatures they will h fv vv to tlmrouyhfv canvass the country, and place the mailer before every woman, and ask them whether they did not think it fair to assist youne- women to come. Why should the Government he]]) the well-to-do to come and not help these;' She did not think any would be selfish -enoiiidn to refuse to .siltii. AV-hm women set themselves to rra-in an object they did not lake a refusal, but kept at it till they eot it, am l the.y must 'do the Fame thine now. A member of the House she bad spoken to had said he could not help her because lie was afraid of tho Labour Party, but when she- saw him a week afterwards he I old her he did not think it would be a bad thine;. Another had promised her u subscription They commenced to move in-this matter (h've weeks aeo, and nvery day Were u'ettijle- more eneouriv_rniien t. After the meytine in ('hristelnin-h circulars had been sent to eVer\- Mayoress in Mie dominion, and the replies

were so uniformly favourable thai it was determined to g°' ow - nc tbouffht.it would be their owu fault if they did not get what they wanted. They had got the franchise and having got the responsibility of votes [should use them to obtain what was right, and a blessing l would be on their efforts.

'The motion was then put und car rietl without a dissentient,

Mrs Hawdon then in reply to a .question said the persons who went Home to get girls should thoroughly explain to them the disadvantages as well as- the advantages that they would obtain by coming to the dominion. For instance, that they would lie leaving their old friends that were ill, they could not have their homes to go to, but that there were.'.gqod institutions here where they would be well cared for, wages were good hero but that dress was dearer, ft would be much better for the girls if tfeey come here in large batches, for tlien they would come under the care of a matron. When thoy were here - the ladies should" show their Christian charity and good feeling by looking and caring for them. As to selecting suitable persons to o>)v tain the girls, the Government had shown, such marked ability in appointing persons to undertake various classes of work that she thought they could be safely left to deal with that matter, and select kind, conscientious, suitable persons to take the work in 'hand. Some said unsuitable girls might be brought here, and no doubt mistakes may be made, but she pointed out that former immigrants had proved to be most excel lent settlers. A ladv remarked that at, Home-she had had four girls, and they were quite willing to come with her to the dominion'. There were plenty of good girls in . Scotland and Ireland who would be glad to come.

A committee of six ladies was then appointed with power to add to their number, There will bo two petitions, one for presentation to the Upper [louse and one to the Lower House, ft will be the duty of this committee to map out the country into districts, and then appoint canvassers to thoroughly canvass each district. Then, when ' the • petitions are signed—it will lx! the duty of the -committee to analyse the signatures, and state how many of the signatories were farmers' wives, how many tradesmen's wives, and so on. It is proposed ito present the petitions to Parliament in Jun'e.

After a little conversational discussion a vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Hawdon, on the motion of Mrs Buxton, ami the meeting terminated.