GENERAL NEWS.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 28 October 1919, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

FItKAK LAWS. For lawp that are strange, Uncle Sam ''licks creation, if one may judge from a few only of the ißills recently introduced in the various Stat© Legislatures. In Maryland, for example, a Bill was introduced making it ia .migdeameanour for a woman -to .appear in a public j)lace wearing a hat exceeding ten inches in diameter, in Texas it is a criminal offence to swear over the telephone and in Nebraska all hotels must have bed sheets 9 foot 'lonjr, clean towels, and must disinfect all linen at Wst. once a season. Chicago has a very salutary law fines oil husbands who slap wives; with the left hand, one dollar; with the right- hand, two dollars; while sitting down, five' dollars; while standing, flat-footed, three dollars. Of all the States, probably Illinois takes- the palm for "freaks" such as the law prohibiting bachelors from being called "Mister," their Christian names and. surnames only being used as a mark ; and the other prescribing that every 'bridegroom must make an affidavit that he has not been intoxicated more than twice during the year before his marriage. DOMESTIC SERVICE.

A petition has been presented to Parliament by Poverty Bay women, praying that the pre-war reduced passages for women and girLs suitable for domestic help be restored immediately. The petitions urge that women are 'breaking down in health from over-work and strain, and that the low birth-rate is not likely to improve 'unless some relief is afforded to over-worked mothers. While the picture of women breaking down in health owing to work and; strain may 'be a little overdrawn, it is nevertheless a fact that the. shortage of domestic sei-vants in New Zealand is verv acute. The 'reason ,p r </bal>ly is that the girls of the Dominion find greater freedom and facilities for _ relaxation in shops, offices and factories. The position of a domestic is also regarded; by many as menial. The mistresses of New Zealand could do much to improve matters by displaying greater respect and consideration for fheir female servanls. If domestic daily were regarded more as a profession than a drudgery in. the case of hospital nursing there would be no difficulty in securing an adequate supply of female labour.