"CULINARY SISTER."

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1920, Page 4

"CULINARY SISTER."

DOMESTICS IN HOSPITALS. SHOULD STATUS BE RAISfDt Is the day of Bridget or plain Jam passing as an appropriate name for the female rook? Instead of calling a cook just si cook, a suggestion was made at the meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board yesterday that the woman who presides over the kitchen of a hospital should have her status raised, and should be known ns "culinary sißttr." The matter was brought up by a letter from the Inspector-General of Hospitals stating that as considerable difficulty existed at present in the staffing of hospitals with probationers, he would bo obliged for information regarding the number of probationers required to bring the staff up to full strength, the number, if any, on the waiting list of probationers, whether, if a difficulty existed, was it increasing or decreasing, and whether the Board was of opinion that steps should be taken to meet the present position by, the immigration oi surtable and selected girls from Great Britain. ■ The chairman (Mr. C. D. Sole) stated that with regard to probationers the position was that the hospital was at present fully staffed, but there were none on the waiting list, lie did not think there was likely to be any difficulty in securing probationers, lint the Board was having very great difficulty in obtaining domestic help for the hospital. At the present time the Board was unable to get a cook, and he thought it might be advisable to reply stating that the Board would welcome the immigration of suitable domestic servants from England. One way out of the present difficulty of obtaining domestic help for hospitals might be to raise the status, and instead of calling a cook a cook to call'her n "culinary sister." Tho position of cook was a very important one in a hospital, and deserved to be placed on a higher status. The present trouble was due to tho great majority of girls not being attracted to domestic services. Mr. J. O'Neill: It's due to the higher wages. The chairman replied that the girls m domestic service were in an infinitely better position than girls in offices and shops, and had much better chances of saving money. He did not know how some of the girls employed in shops and offices managed to keep themselves. Mr. O'Neill: The great majority of the parents are in a better financial position. The chairman: Perhaps not the majority, but some are. The fact is that girls consider domestic service is not good enough for them. Mr. B, McK. Morison entirely agrted with the chairman. He considered that the status of domestic servants should be raised, and should be regarded as quite as important and attractive as office work. After further discussion it was agreed to notify the Inspector-General that the Board was short of women domestics, a»id would welcome iurmigrmits of that class from Great Britain.