A PLENTIFUL LACK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2269, 14 August 1908, Page 1

A PLENTIFUL LACK.

THE PROBLEM OF DOMESTIC SERVICE. “A WORD TO THE WISE.” “I liavc no doubt I could easily place five hundred domestic servants,, if I could only get- them,” said Miss IJreinner, ollicer in charge of the Labor Department’s Women’s Employment Bureau, on Tuesday to a “New Zealand Times” reporter, who desired to know how stood the labor market as far as her particular- branch was concerned. Though there might not be quite this number of vacancies in Wellington itself, she explained, there certainly were in the city and immediately surrounding districts. Domestic servants kept arriving by every Home steamer, six reaching the Dominion on the Mamari yesterday morning, but almost invariably they were indentured, that was, they came out under engagement. THE SYSTEM CRITICISED. In other cities ladies who had given up hope of obtaining domestic held ill New Zealand had formed syndicates and brought parties of girls out from Home. Really all that was necessary was to advance £lO passage money. She had often wondered why Wellington ladies did not do likewise. They kopt writing to her for servants, but it was comparatively seldom she was able to assist them. They could help themselves m'ucli more effectually by holding a drawing-room meeting, forming a syndicate, and sending Home lor the maids they wanted. There was ono tiling, however, she had noticed about many of the women coming out here, and that was, they were hardly suited to the local conditions of labor. In a great number of English houses two, three, or four servants wore kept, while a woman coming to New Zealand had to bo prepared to undertake all duties. Many of them could not do so, and the result was that the mistresses complained about having servants sent them upon whom they often had to wait! Sho did not know who was responsible for the selection, but it certainly left room fur improvement. THE LOCAL PRODUCT. Attempts at training girls and young women of the community in tho various branches of domestic economy had been made in Wellington for some time past, but, apparently, have not met with the success that might have been expected, especially in view of the great difficulty that housewives experience in obtaining assistance. “Our domestic classes are not patronised as they should be,” said Mr, La Trobe, Director of tho Technical School, when asked for a statement as to tho position. Classes and lccturettcs in 'cookery, dressmaking, and general household management, and so on have been provided, lie explained, for both young and old students for some while, but there appears to be a lack of interest in the matter. To his mind people Wore not sufficiently keen on tho subject; a lot is talked about it, but tho students do not attend the classes when opportunities are provided. At present the number of students of domestic economy is about forty, though Mr. La Trobe has no doubt that much could be done to push this section of the school along if more accommodation were available. At the present time it is difficult to make suitable arrangements for housing the classes.