COLONIAL DOMESTICS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 850, 24 January 1883, Page 2

COLONIAL DOMESTICS.

[“ NEW ZEALAND HEBALD.”] - The only argument put forward to show how it is that women work to comparatively easy work, uncongenial and unwholesome ..work to healthy and congenial work; ' isjthat those engaged in factories haves the evenings to themselves, in which may do what they like, while a girl in service is under restraint There 1 re no doubt that this is the secret'of 5 the whole matter. A servant is in apposition which is plainly and patently ioferiorto thatofthe members of the family ifi which she resides, and . this,- though involving no real degradation,, is %hat the colonial girl will not submit toi'-* She must also have her evenings to herself without asking anyone’s leave as.to the time she may remain out A servant is liable to be called on in case of emergency or illness at any time, and colonial girls resent this as something like slavery. In reality a servant has her own way very much* more tlsn a seamstress in a factory, but she "does not obtain the liberty in a way which she values most, and at the time wjiich she values most. We heard pf one case within the last few days, in which a master and mistress were debarred from any enjoyment of the holidays, because their servant insisted Upon having a week to herself at this season. She said if she did not get it she would leave, and as they saw no prospept of obtaining another servant they had to consent. They had to stay at Home during the holidays while the servant enjoyed herself. But with all this, the colonial girl will not assume the fessedly inferior position of a self ant, and be degraded by being called “ Mary ” or “ Betsy,” or whatever' her Christian name may be. She will rather slave as a seamstress, and insist' upon being called “ Miss.” Another reason, no doubt, is the antipathy which women have to be subjectlio a mistress, to be at the bidding and Hinder the eye of one of her own sex, probably a woman who is no'better educated than themselves, who has been born.: in as low, or even a lower condition, but who has had the good fortune to many a man who can afford to allow her to keep a servant. A correspondent of the Melbourne Argus thus sumrnhVises the reasons why young women object to domestic service :—“r. The idea of degradation attached to the position of a ‘ slavey ’ in the minds of the lower classes themselves. 2. The short hours which they have to call their\Own, in the sense of being able to get ‘about and see their friends, and more particularly their consequent inability to form the acquaintance of" young ■■ men. 3. The over-anxiety Of mistresses' that their servants ’ should\ know their position.” The writer says h§ has cpige to the'above conclusions from conversations with young women engaged in sewing factories, and probably tHts is the only safe plan to get at'a sound conclusion. Even the editorial mind, supposed ..to. beomniscient in ficial way, cannot safely speculate; on

■» motives -may rutq in tne oreasis ; yqubg wbmen; It ;is rather unfor- • 6 l’ttlhale l that, ’while thbre is actually a ■ . superabundance of femhle labor in these \ . colomes, ,all the Governments should V,bednv,cq. by the “felt;, want ” of !do- - . mystic servants tof spend public money y-/y- 'm the special encouragement of that of immigrants.‘ But so it : is, and l -\ it!will continue to be till cotnriion controlling mptive, and'there . & striving after social shams. !