LABOUR

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12142, 10 August 1903, Page 3

LABOUR

THE ARBITRATION BILL. \ ■ \

United Press\-Assoeiation—Per Electric '^Telegraph—Copyright. _ .Received 9.25 a.m., August Bth. ; . .'..'■■'■ . SYDNEY, August 8. . The Employers' Federation has adopted a resolution protesting against rushing the Arbitration Bill through the Federal Parliament, and asking Sir E. Barton, to delay consideration of the measure until the public have, had a chance of acquainting themselves with its provisions.

■ The chief of the women's branch of the Department of Labour, Mrs Staveley, discusses some aspects of the domestic problem in her annual report on the work of that branch. Remarking that the scarcity of competent servants continues, she adds that good servants seldom change their places except to leave the home of > their em s ployer to. go to one of their own, and in. many cases they still retain the friendship and respect of their former employers.* The class of girls who most often change their places, she saye, are girls who have tried factory work and got tired of it; They enter domestic service, of which they know absolutely nothing, and they resent being instructed by their employers how to perform household duties properly, so frequent change is the result. Mrs Sta-r vely further .states that few -Wellington girls go to domestic service, 'as they prefer factory work. They contribute their share towards the household expenses of their homes, and after working hours are fie* to spend their leisure as they please. There is a constant demand for .South Island girls, who, as a rule, are excellent servants, and ■ get places immediately on their arrival in Wellington. During the last few months some servants have arr rived from Australia, and their coming has proved, a boon >td> mistresses who have been waiting in vain for/help for months past.