WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 192, 12 February 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.") / DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM. | The domestic servant problem has Be- J come serious, and the constitution of a \ wages board does not appear likely to make it less so, says a writer in the Sydney Morning Herald. In fact, some housekeepers are anticipating a revolution in the kitchen. Mrs. Mackinnon, of Sydney, who is known because of her interest in political and domestic education, was asked what she thought of the inclusion of domestic workers in the schedule of the Industrial Disputes Act. It had suggested to her the.possibility of a great change in household management. The shortening of the hours would, she said, mean in some houses trying to do the work by shifts, which did not seem possible. Her reason for thinking so was the present difficulty of securing girls. Then, too, there were housewives who could not afford to pay the wages demanded by some girls. There never was a time before when it was such a difficulty to keep house. Except in boarding houses and hotels, girls were not working continuously, there being hours during the day for themselves as well as the evenings off. If the hours were fixed at anything like those worked in occupations it would mean there would have to be brought into existence an array of cleaners, and the difficulties of maintaining a double staff were likely to bring about the co-operative kitchen. These were already in operation in the; cities of other countries, and although necessity had not demanded them as yet, the matter had frequently been discussed. It had been said that the domestic lervant problem was driving people into boarding-houses or flats, and she believed there was, unfortunately, a great deal of truth in the statement, and the coming change was likely to make this more apparent. Speaking with reference to the status of domestic servants, Mrs. Mackinnon said the occupation was much more dignified than factory employment, and if there was a domestic training college to fit girls for household work the' stigmanow thought by some to rest upon the class would be removed. If properly | arranged and controlled domestic work fitted a girl to take her proper place in the social life of the onmmnnifv

THE TIP SYSTEM A mass meeting of waiters held in New York last month passed resolutions declaring that the tip system is derogatory to American citizenship and debasing to manhood, and should be abolished. It was understood, however, from the speeches of the leading garcons, that the fraternity will try to struggle with their convictions until employers either provide a bonus system or increase their wages. Sympathy in New York with the anti-tip movement is due largely to the way in which the restaurant and hotel men have over-reached themselves (writes a correspondent). The hat-check boy provided the straw which broke the camel's back. New Yorkers have taken every kind of imposition good-naturedly, but since they learned that the restaurant and hotel keepers invite tenders for the privilege of blackmailing guests in the cloak room and actually receive enormous sums—one hotel here gets £2OOO a year for the privilege—and that the boys to whom the tips are given do not profit by them, they have become somewhat disgusted. The Commercial Travellers' National League is taking a leading part in the war. Recently thousands of members of 4he League received letters from the president instructing them not to give gratuities of any kind to waiters, messengers, or coatroom employees, and Miey are obeying these orders all over the country. Hotel and restaurant proprietors turn a cold, glassy eye on the proposed arrangement, and await the capitulation of the public.

LORD KITCHENER'S SISTER As long as there are men there will be fighting, whether it be on the battlefield or in politics, is (says the San Francisco Chronicle) the opinion of the sister of Lord Kitchener, the great British general, and one of the most famous strategists of modern times. Lord Kitchener's sister, who is Mrs. Francis Parker, arrived here last evening (January 9) on the Royal mail liner Tahiti from New Zealand, accompanied by her husband. "It is human nature for men to fight if necessary," said Mrs. Parker, who is a mild-mannered, pleasant woman, well on in years. "And I believe there will always be armies and navies despite the international peace propaganda that is being spread." Mr. and Mrs. Parker have resided in New Zealand for many years, but they have disposed of their interests there and do not intend to return. "The colonies are no place for old people," smiled Mrs. Parker, "and, now we are following the sun. We will '. spend the winter in Jamaica, where my brother, Colonel Chevalier Kitchener, relides. Then we will go to England and perhaps after that to Egypt, where Lord j Kitchener now is." The only other brother in the Kitchener family is Lieuten-ant-General Walter Kitchener, who is j Governor of Bermuda.

IDEAL MARRIAGE. A SCIENCE, NOT AN EPISODE. Within the last few weeks two wives of men who are regarded as manly men, and both in comfortable—one in affluent —circumstances, have left their homes with, or in search of, their affinities (writes Ella Wheeler Wilcox in the "American"). Both families belong to the educated classes, and both women were mothers. In each case the husband has taken the matter .with seeming philosophy, confessing the right of the wife to seek her happineu in her own way. Thi» attitude of the modern man in such situations is not as picturesque as that of the duellings and blood-spilling cavalier of olden times, but it is more •ensible. There is nothing gained when a man or woman wanders from the fold of matrimony into the pastures where affinities browse, in adding murder or suicide to the tragedy. Love once dead is not restored by the jjun, the sword, or the poisonous draught. Nothing is gained by killing the faithless wife or husband or the affinity of one's self. ■Revenge is frequently obtained by alI lowing the people who break all laws to posess each other to live to be sorry they succeeded. There have been inuumerable cases of this kind in America. One man has just taken his fourth affinity after putting away his wife and three other affinities in his search for the real soul mate. His wife, who consented lo the separation and divorce as soon as she found she was not desired by her husband as companion longer, lives quietly abroad, and is no doubt much better off with her freedom and life than if she I had killed her first rival and gone to \ prison or the electric chair. j Yet view the matter as we will, thes* things are terrible tragedies. When a man and woman choose each/ other as life companions there is usually \ love in the heart of one or both.