Domestic Help Problem

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 8

Domestic Help Problem

Girls Objections

the domestic help problem is not confined to New Zealand is apparent from the position in Australia. The comments made by a number of girls who were interviewed on the subject speak for themselves. A canvass of girls who hold city jobs calling for patience, endurance, and lots of hard work has proved the contention of the Australian Women’s Association in Melbourne that domestic work is regarded as “slavery.” This association asked the Minister of Labour to bring wages, hours and conditions of domestic servants in private homes into line with those offered by guest houses. All the girls intervie /ed preferred counter work, sundry jobs in shops and restaurants to working in private homes. Cafeteria Attendant: Give me my freedom. Domestic service is too much of a tie, with long hours and not enough time off. The work is dull. I think a union for domestic workers should be formed to agitate for better hours and better pay. Then there would be more inducements for girls to take up this kind of work. There is no attraction in domestic service as it is to-day, and reform must come. I worked as a domestic in Canada, but then times were good and money was better than it is to-day. Even so, conditions for the domestics were poor. lilk Bar Attendant: One experience of domestic work was enough for me. My mistress made me feel my position, as though I wasn't as good as she was. I found that the work was hard and long. If you do night work in this game you get time off or extra money, a thing that is unheard of in domestic service. Standing all day serving in a milk bar is much better to me than cooking meals. Waitress: ‘‘l like this job and have been here for nearly three years. I work, of course, from the money point of view and the wages in this game are good. You work your shift and no more. Everythin - is definite and you know just where you are and you can make arrangements to go out. There is no chance of being imposed on as there is in domestic service One meets more interesting and congenial people. Woman Attendant in Bottle Department of City Hotel: Apart from the customers, you have no companions here. On the other hand, there is no one to fight with. It is a peaceful place compared with the homes of other people. Here you can knit, sew and read in your off moments.

Girl in Bookbinding Trade: “I think my trade is preferable to doing housework, which to me is plain drudgery. If you are a maid you have a terribly lonely life, with no companions, whereas here in this factory life is congenial. You are working with girls who have the same interests as yourself and you can arrange picnics ard all kinds of outings that you cannot do if you are engaged as a domestic. Again, you see so many different people that you have a chance of picking your friends. Life here is more pleasant and there is not the monotony that is in house- ork.”

Factory Girl: "Although life here is monotonous at times, we have regular hours and there is lots of companionship. Most domestic servants I know never see anybody, and if their employers are very superior people they have nobody to talk to. Also they work till quite late at night and seldom have a chance to go to the pictures. My job may be dull

Open Sandwiches. Cut a slice of white or brown bread into the required shape, spread with creamed butter, then with any prepared filling. Add a layer of peeled, sliced tomato, cucumber, radish, diced celery, shredded lettuce or watercress, and garnish with chopped nuts, sliced gherkin, stuffed olives, cocktail onions, maraschino cherries, or other suitable ingredient, and serve as an individual sandwich. Good Soups. Try these rather unusual but nourish-

and strenuous, but at least you know where you are with it.” Girl Tobacconist: "Although girts in domestic work get their keep, and don’t have fares to pay, the disadvantages are too great for the job to attract me. Some mistresses, of course, are fairer than others, but that wouldn’t compensate for amount of leisure time.”

ing soups. First, there is a milk soup. Put two quarts of milk into a pan to warm with two sticks of cinnamon, a little sugar and a saltspoon of salt. Mix smooth six ounces of ground almonds in milk, grate the rind of a lemon and add with a dessertspoon of juice. Stir all into the heating milk and let it boil up. Strain to serve with slices of bread lightly toasted. Barley soup can be made with four ounces of pearl barley, two blades of mace, an ounce weight of crust of bread and the juice of half a lemon. Boil in two quarts of water down to one quart. Sweeten and flavour with port wine.

Here is a specially good rice »oup to make. Put one pound o ( rice to two quarts of water and two sticks of cinnamon. Simmer until the rice is tender. Take out the cinnamon; allow to cool and then add the beaten-up yolks of three eggs. Sweeten and boil up, stirring all the time to prevent curdling. When of creamy thickness, the soup is ready. To Make Batter. Ingredients: Three ounces flour, pine' of salt, white of one egg, one tablespo'/i oil or melted butter, two tablespoofts tepid water. Method: Sift flour artd

salt; make a hole in th « centre, pour in oil or melted butter, add tepid water gradually, and stir till smooth. Beat 10 minutes. Allow to stand from half to one hour; then add stiffly beaten white lightly. It is then ready for use. Chocolate Malted Junket. INGREDIENTS; 1 pint milk 2 tablespoons malted 1 junket tablet milk powder 2 dessertspoons Few drops vanilla sugar essence 3 tablespoons melt- 1 teaspoon water ed chocolate