Woman's Wages in New Zealand.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 123, 19 March 1872, Page 7

Woman's Wages in New Zealand.

The scarcity of good female domestic servants is severely felt in Auckland. Not only are housemaids and general servants hard to be got, but the rate of wages demanded is far in excess of anything hitherto paid. Servants who understand housework, and of good character, now demand wages for their services at the rate of £l9 per annum, which is much more than the general run of people can afford or care to pay. The keepers of registry offices inform us that the cause of such a deficient supply is due to the circumstance, that any girl of good character and passable looks has not the slightest difficulty in obtaining a husband. Mistresses may not entertain the same opinion, but young women generally prefer a husband to the best wages that can be offered to them. It is rather curious to note the various rates of wages paid for domestic help in the different provinces of New Zealand. In Christchurch, good housemaids receive 10s. a week ; in Nelson, Bs. ; whilst in the County of Westland, which adjoins Nelson, a servant girl's wages range from 255. to 3Js. per week. In Otago, house-helps of a superior class receive £lO to £5.) a year. Governesses are also subject to like extremes. In Westland a respectable unmarried educated female is glad of a home and her washing in return for her services. In Nelson the pay is about espial to that of a housemaid. In Auckland, we believe the remuneration paid to a good instructress in a private family is from £lO to £SO per annum. Tn Chrictchurch £2O to £3O is only paid. In Westland many governesses, owing to the small amount of remuneration offered them, accept barmaid's places. If they arc good-looking, and can condescend to talk nonsense to young men, and hold out hopes of matrimony to the old ones, they get from £2 10s. to £3 per week. In Otago barmaids arc not generally preferred. Tiiey are looked upon as bad at giving change. Barmaids have short courtships, and marry suddenly. Courting cannot be done with any degree of comfort over bar counters. A barmaid generally chooses a sensible man who never spent live shillings in drink at her landlord's house. Governesses in Otago marry clergymen. In Christchurch they remain single. Domestic servants appear, as a rule, ito marry mechanics, who, after a time, illtreat them. The above statistics have been compiled with some care as to accuracy.— I Southern Cross.