WOMEN'S WAGES IN NEW ZEALAND.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 162, 12 April 1872, Page 3

WOMEN'S WAGES IN NEW ZEALAND.

The scarcety of good female dome*lie servants is severely felt in Auckland. Not only are housemaids and general servants hard toi be got,- but the of ! wages demanded is far'in exeess of anything hitherto paitL Servants who understand housework, and of good character, now demand wages for their services at the rate of < £d<o per annum, which is much :more than* the general run'of people can afford or care to The keepers of the registry, ; offices inform us that the cause;',of suchi a deficient supply is due to-the circumstance,, that any girl of good character; and passable- looks has not the slightest difficulty;in obtaining :v hushed:''"'"iVlis--ctresses may entertain the same opinion, but young women generally prefera hus,band : to -tbe 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."' lii Christ.church, good .housemaids receive 10s a week; in county ot Westland, which adjoins Nelson, a servant girl's wages* 'range from 255. to. 30s. per week. InOtago, househel :>s of a superior class receive£4o to £SO a year. Grovernesses 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- semces. 'ln Nelson thepay is about equal to that of the housemaid: -.-sin' Auckland,- we foetteYe the remuneration paid to a good instructressin a private family is from £4O to £SO per annum. In Christchurch £2O to £3O is only paid. In Westland many governesses, owing to the small amount ofremuneration offered them, accept barmaid's places. If they are goodlooking, and can condescend to talk nonsense, to. young ynen, and hold out: hopes of matrimony to the old ones, they get from'£2 10s. to £3 per week. In (Jtago barmaids are not generally preferred. They 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 five shillings in drink at her landlord's house. .Grovernesses in Otago marry clergymen. In Christchurch they remain single. Domestic servants appear, as a rule to mechanics,, who, after a time, illtreat them, Theabove statistics have been compiled with; so me care as to Cross. ' \ ?