The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1909. THE DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2419, 6 February 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6,1909. THE DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

The difficulty of obtaining domestic assistance is widespread in the Dominion, but it is probably more acute in the caso of those whose occupation, compels them to Jive in the country. It is only in accordance with modern ideals of .pleasure that a girl who can readily obtain employment on almost any terms she dikes in town will decline to accept service in the •l.vvkblocks. Under the circumstances it is not, surprising that one of .the first official applications Tor Government assistance in. the .matter should have come from tho Canterbury Slieepownors’ Union, a deputation from which recently Waited upon the Hon. Mr G. Fowkls in Christchurch. The report of the proceedings, which is printed in another column, expresses in a definite and concise way tho position as it is mb the present time. One cf t.he greatest drawbacks to rural life is tho difficulty of obtaining the assistance that is necessary to carry on household affairs, and iMt Duncan Maofarlano was not overstating the caso when die declared that many ladies in tho country have, got into m. perfectly hopeless stato and .are enduring a condition of white slavery. Their constitutions, lie said, were being ruined and they did not dare to add to their domestic responsibilities. It is not a question of cost, for in many cases almost any wages would be pawl for a competent servant ; but the stern fact is that- the supply is entirely inadequate to meet tlie demand. Under these circumstances a good case dims 'been made out for State action in the direction of .securing immigrants from England and other countries. This is not a matter which private, persons can undertake on the scale that the circumstances demand, ‘and the suggestion of the Sheepowners’ Union that the Government should send an agent Home to select suitable girls from the country districts, the employers advancing the passage money if assured of getting the right class of .labor, is one which the Government, in our opinion, should adopt -without delay.

The objection raised bv Air Fowkls concerning the responsibility of tdi.e Government to find work for those it brought out need not be taken too seriously. Given young women of the right class, girls of good character, capable in their duties, and not afraid of work, and the country would absorb two or three thousand of them without the least difficulty, and witliout depriving of her position m single girl already in service and earning her wages. Although l wo have! dealt chiefly >witli the difficulties experienced in the country because of the dearth of 'domestic servants, the same trouble, though less painful in its results, exists in the towns. The Dominion as ia wkolo is badly in need o.f immigrants to develop the country, .and tlie Government is doing fairly“good work in this connection, but tho suggestion of the Sheepowners Union touches m phaso ol immigration work that has hitherto been neglected. Air Fowkls has ■promised to confer with the Minister of Labor on the matter, but it is one that should bo considered ■ by the whole of tho Ministry, for the adoption of, the proposal would mean a great deaf to tho wives and motheis of Now Zeabuul.