DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3142, 20 March 1909, Page 5

DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM.

HOW AMERICA IS SOLVING IT

A press representative at Christchurch interviwed Mrs Grace Neil, formerly an inspector under the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act, who has returned to New Zealand after a prolonged visit to America. Mrs Neil said she spent most of the time in Montana—a State which has had experience of the domestic help difficulty. The problem is as acute there as it is in New Zealand. The genius of the American nation, however, is asserting itself, and many inventions Jare being brought forward to save labour in the house. Electric appliances are installed in all well-acquipped homes. Nearly every house that can claim to be supplied with modern conveniences, for instance, has electric irons and electric washing machines. Hot air is supplied from a central plant through mains and is turned on by means of a register in the same way as gas is turned on. There are shoe-shining establishments where boots are cleaned by electricity.

The automatic telephone, Jsaid Mrs Niel, is in high demand. It has abolished the telephone girl. A subscriber can connect direct with the house of friend without going through the formality and often 'the delay and annoyance of ringing up the "change." Ihe only occasion when an intermediary is needed is when there is a hitch and things are not working'smoothly. Then "No. 93, Trouble," is called up. The nature of the hitch is examined, and "Trouble" sends a man alorig to put things right. Again the "information bureau" attached to the system takes a high rank amongst America's modern devices. Is the subscriber interested in the result of a big football match, an athletic championship, a horse race, or a Presidential election, or does he wish to know the time of arrival or departure of a train? He rings up the bureau and the information, if it is in the bounds of reasonableness, is supplied at once. The domestic help difficulty is driving many families in America to live in apartment houses. Suites of rooms are hired and the families live there surrounded by all the conveniences that human ingenuity can devise. In one apartment house in Butte there are 50 or 60 families holding suites ranging from two rooms to five or six. Servant girls demand good wages and have no trouble in gett'iig them. In one instance in Nasadena girls did not come forward when aa mucn as £8 or £lO a month was offered them.