“DOMESTIC HATE”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1938, Page 4

“DOMESTIC HATE”

UNPOPULAR MISTRESSES. Mistresses can be so tyrannical that domestics have no other word but "hate" to describe their feelings towards employers who offend in these ways, states the writer of the women’s notes in a Sydney newspaper. The unpopular list includes:— The mistress who nags, bullies, or pries. The mistress who spoils a day-off by kicking up carpets and saying they must be cleaned again; or, if they happen to be clean, by giving extra work until it is noon before the maid can leave. The mistress who has frequent and large dinner parties and does not provide extra help for the occasions. The mistress who argues about bills and accuses the maid of extravagance if she is left to run the house. The mistress who not only practices aloofness, but insists on separate food for a maid’s meals. This invariably means the “scraps” from previous meals. Who imperiously demands that meals be ready at a certain time, but is consistently late. The mistress who - allows her small children the privilege of slapping the maid when they feel like it. The maid must never retaliate. The foolish mistress who continually refers to the paragon qualities of “the girl who was there before.” The thoughtless mistress who, during a maid’s day-off piles dirty dishes and pots for her to wash on her return.