WOMEN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 254, 17 March 1913, Page 6

WOMEN'S WORLD.

THE MISSING DOMESTIC j Every woman in Xew Zealand who lias J any housework to do wonder.-, why wo-' men to do that sort of work are so scarce; and every woman who wants to employ a woman for her home anathematises tiie Coveniiuoiit for not supplying ' the demand I say* an exchange). And, of t course, every woman who worries over I domestic aliair* worm's her man by ; her worries. So that the problem of i the shortage of domestic help touches t both sexes anil all sections of the community. The (Government in recent t years has been trying to modify the 1 trouble, especially for the woman on the J bind, by importing domestic servants c from the Old Country; but it seems that these women are lost sight of once they < reach Xew Zealand, and worse still, that ) they do not reach the domestic service i for which they were specially brought i out. This interesting fact was brought i out acutely by Sir Rider Haggard, the i probe of the Imperial Trade Commission, » whilst Miss Bremner, a Labor Department superintendent of immigration, was giving evidence before the Commission in Wellington. -Miss Brainier said the girls were supposed to report themselves to the Labor Department. Very many of them did not. In the last three ships. for instance, only one girl had reported ! herself. Many of them did not go to ! service. This she knew well enough, I but she did not know where they went. Some went to shops and other employment. The following impressive examination took place: Sir Rider Haggard: Am I right in gathering that you are profoundly dissatisfied with the present arrangements for these girls? Miss Bremner: I think T am. ] Sir Rider Haggard: Surely one girl I reporting herself from three ships is not | a satisfactory state of affairs? Miss Bremner: Not at all. Sir Rider Haggard: You don't know where these girls go? Miss Bremner: We really don't know j where they go or what becomes of : them. Sir Rider Ilassard: Are the girls all that they should be? Miss Bremner: Some of the girls are certainly not. Sir Rider Haggard: Could you say i how many of the girls have gone into domestic service here? Miss Bremner: Xo. I could not. Sir Rider Haggard: Should ynu say that half of them do? Mi-s Bremner: Xo: T don't believe half of them do go into domestic service. Sir Rider Haggard: Then it seems as if half of them come here fraudulently? Miss Bremner: It seems so. Sir Edgar Vincent (chairman): You seem to be very hopeless about; the whole thing? - -—--^"SilM"'^' Miss Bremner: Very hopeless. She explained further that it was her custom to spend a lot of time running after girls on arrival, and Arranging for-places for them, but the mistresses never saw them.

THE SOCIAL BUREAU " j HOW TrTF.i WIRES ARE PULLED. j There are ninny American? who come j to London year after year-for long or short sojourns. \vho are anxious to get in ] touch with liiuish aristocracy as a step j -towards the' realisation of a, life ambition—presentation at court (says the 'Xcw York Herald'). In other times it j was necessary for these persons'to man- i oeuvre for introduction into the circle J of. the elect, hut new the way has been smoothed for them, and entrance into London societjy^qr __ at least into that j wing of it whirls not deaf when money 1 talks, is made easy .by., numerous, social j servicebureaus. The only passport that is required is visible evidence of wealth, and the rustling of the leaves of a cheque hook will .summon scores of shrewd, resourceful genii to do the bids ding of the man or woman who has in , the American vernacular, "money to burn.'' but' the socially .ambitions stranger within our gates must be ready to make a- goodly bonfire. He or" "she ' must be willing to.entertain hundreds of_ down-at-heel aristocrats, who do'' not' care a fig for their hosts, but whose names look and sound well when Tead m the society columns of the newspapers. These social bureaus are to be found for the most part in the fashionable; shopping districts adjoining Mayfair or liclgravia. They are'presided over by women of .great worldv knowledge, genuine business aptitude, and tac'tfuhiess. They charge for every detail, and there arc many details, these bureaus can find for the lonely widow of means a lady companion who is immediately' connected -with Court circles, and can decorate a ISri.xton dinner with several baronets and ladyship's.' Moreover'.'they have baronial residences, with or_ without dungeons, to rent at short notice for long periods, with' picture galleries..ancestral gliosis, medieval legends, and Cothir,chapels at prices that an English- , man would never be asked to pay. They will undertake the arrangement of a fashionable wedding, and will supply everything, from the bride's veil to the aris.tocj-atie guests and the titled organist who plays "The Voice, that Ureathed o'er Eden.'' They will even see to it. that the hut touch, of dignity ..is lent to these ceremonials by the presence of. a. colonial bishop as officiating clergyman. Jlnt, what is more important, these social bureaux will undertake, to lloat.the aspirants •who' appeal to them' stvfely upon the social seas. The old observation that to enter English society you must amuse it. feed it. or shock it.still holds good'. ' These social pilots are :il>o fully able, they say, to get you to. Court—into the presence of majesty itself.

The price asked for an introduction to OhiU rears ago was generally ijnotod ul: -JiK) guineas, though excessive competition cut it to 12t) guineas. Tlie bureaux of to-day cannot, of course, arrange this presentation, lint tliey declare that they are in touch with ladies of position who have the right to present at Cou;ri. This trade became such a scandal that an attempt was made a few years ago to break up the ring that was selling Court presentations not only to well-to-do foretellers, hut to wealthy but plebeian English folk as well. This particular combination was called ''the outer ring." ami it was smashed by a recent ruling of the Lord Chamberlain, the functionary whose dutv it is to supervise the list of those eligible to attend tlie Courts. T'.y this ruling no presentations of Americans can now be made unless through the channels of the English Embassy.