GIRLS AND DOMESTIC WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1801, 14 July 1913, Page 4

GIRLS AND DOMESTIC WORK.

A NOVEL SUGGESTION. Mr.. Geoffrey G. Oliver, of Mangawek'a, makes a number of interesting suggestions ill his letter: I.—Yes. I think the country schools in this district do as much as can bo expected towards training children for farm life. Their home surroundings and nature study should do more to educate them than their school teacher can possibly do in tli is respect. 2—No, thoy do not. Wo are a district, for the most part, of small sheep farmers on rough country; wo cannot, fatten our lambs, but have to depend 011 dealers for our market. If the Land Board could see their way to grant transfers of any flat country handy to the district in blocks of twenty to thirty ' acres, ive could grow rape or (urui'ps enough to finish our lambs ourselves, instead .of paying practically, two commissions to stock agents 011 a store article." It.—From the railways, yes. From tlifl roods, 110. Tho main arterial road on which I reside was formed and metalled by tho Government and handed over to tho Rangitikci County Council ten or inoro years ago. 111 my fivo ypars' residenco hero, it has gono from good to bad and bad to worse, owing to lack of proper attention. Owing to scarcity of road metal tho branch roads are still almost unfit for wheel traffic in the winter months, though (lie settlement in (hem dates back ten, twelve, nnd fifteen vi'ars. 4,—ln niv humble opinion, No. Can- j

not tho big cities wave some of their great privileges in tho respect of postal deliveries in favour of tho country? Till this year most of the settlers had no mail service at all; now they have a ' rum-l delivery twico a week. Wo should liko to seo country telephones made cheaper. Wo have poles within a chain or two ot our homes carrying Clovernmeut lines, but are told wo must have a separate- lot of posts if wo want telephones, which makes the cost'too prohibitive. s—Yes, many are obtaining benefits from tho shows, and if tho majority are not, it is their own fault. G.—Yes, and the sanio may bo said of this question as of No. 5. —"It is their own. fault" if they don't appreciato tho Department of Agriculture." • 7.—No. As honorary secretary of tho local branch of the Farmers' Union 1 oau readily aver that tho fanners of my district are not organised. And I think are. not organisable, and one of tho chief reasons is tho rooted antipathy most men linvo to a union as exemplified by a labour union. Your efforts, Mr. Editor, in opening your columns in this manner, may do more to organise us than many paid organisers. ' B.—Yes, renters of farms are doing well. 9.—No. Men aro very difficult to cot in tho busy time, and as a result of tho old railway co-operativo works days, they expect a very high wage for very little work. Domestic labour is at a premium, and must affect tho country population if relief is not found. Why not mako tho girls territorials in housework as the complement of military training to boys? AVithout good housi>wives and mothers we cannot have strong men and. healthy children. Make every •girl pass some teit in household duties and you will relievo tho domestic trouble considerably. 10.—Yes. To use a colloquialism, everything in the labourer's garden in this district is' lovely, provided, ho is any good at all. 11. —Moke lifo more livable for the wives and mothers in the back country, liavo telephones in every house, if mail delivery is difficult to -provide regularly. Telephono communication is simple and I am convinced would pay handsomely if made universal.