EDUCATIONALISTS URGE MORE REMUNERATION FOR DOMESTIC HELP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 1, 24 September 1937, Page 11

EDUCATIONALISTS URGE MORE REMUNERATION FOR DOMESTIC HELP

"The modern female has a distaste for domestic service. * If we are to achieve any results, we - must aim at improving the conditions and reniuneration, and raising the status of domestic workers to that applying in other occupations for girls." This was the contention of a delegate at yesterday 's conference at Wellington of the Technical Education Association of New Zealand when the problom of providing courses for domestic workers was discussed, it being ultimately decided to refer the matter to a special sub-com-mittee to draft suitable proposals. The subject Avas raised in tlie following remit: "That considering the difficulty of obtaining efficient domestic workers and «f controlling conditions of domestic work, the Education Department be asked to take steps toward the establishment of domestio training centres." The remjt was sponsored by Mr P. Sethi Smith (Christchurch), who urged that tlie most praeticable method of handling the problem would be to raise the status of domestic workers. Dr D. E. Hansen (Christchurch) contended that despite extensive publicity through the newspapers, there had been no real attempt to solve the problem. Miss B. E. Carnachan (Auckland) urged the conference to give the matter its most sincere consideration. "This is a big problem. It strikes right at home life in this Dominion." Mr F. Tuck (Timaru) drew the attention of th© delegates to the steps taken in South Canterbury. Through the mitiative of Mr T. JD. Burnett, M.P., a propeirty had been made available for the training of a limited number of young persons. The sch«ne had not yet been. completed, but such institu-t-ions as the Women's Institute and the W.D.F.U., were interested. Finance would be required, and when the schem® was completed and approved, an appeal would be made for publio support. Mrs A. McVicar (Wellington) urged raising the status of the domestic worker. It was the sense of inferiority under which the domestic worker laboured that was the trouble. There was no better qualified young woman in tbe country than tlie farmer's daughter, yet she detested the thought of being a domestic.

Mr Tuck suggested that- the wage should be £2 a week and found, and th« girls called housekeepers. Mr C. H. Nicliolls, representing the Wellington Education Board,' said it was clear evidence of the modern young women's distaste of domestio work when many, trained as teachers in domestio science, married, and after a few years o£ married life, sought their old jobs back. "The modern female does not like working at home. I sympathise with her." The work was hard and the remuneration poor. Mr G. J. Park (Auckland) made the suggestiou that the problem might he overcome by the training of Maori girls. Mr G. G. Hancos (Palmerston North) said lie was satisfied that the problem would not be solved until the conditions and remuneration for domestic workers were brought more into line with other occupations. "lf we talk all day we will get no further aliead," said Mr S. G. Smith. It was an economic problem. Under present conditions of liigli wages lii factories and ollices young peopJe were attracted with these avenues of occupation to tlie detriment of domestic service. People were eveu talking of introducing Japanese houseboys to solve the -problem. He hoped this would never occur. "The remit ivas withdrawn and a subcommittee set up to consider the development of a national scheme of training to provide domestic assistants and to indieiate how the suggested scheme might be put into operation.