THE INQUIRY INTO THE LABOUR UNREST. [To THE EDITOR OF
nut " SPROTATOE."3 Ben,—I must confess my surprise at the views regarding domestic servants expressed in your article of April 6th. Naturally large households are not affected by the terrible dearth of domestic labour, but the matter has become a very serious one to the small householder who can only afford to keep two or three maids in the luxurious manner that custom enforces. In the towns with difficulty the want may still be met, but in the country districts the trouble is acute. The applicants are with few exceptions bad characexcellentters,ineapwaabgleesEr: or semi invalids. The advantages offered are
good food, light work, and far more liberty than was ever before accorded, but these are wholly inadequate to compete with the allurements of a shop or factory life and the indis- pensable evenings out. The parents uphold their children in their distaste for domestic service, and cannot be made to realize the benefits of the good homes and good food which they so scornfully reject. The clergy aid and abet this state of affairs by the encouragement they give to the teaching of theatricals and dancing to a class of children whose parents largely dependent on charity, are unable even to provide them with the decencies of life, and, therefore, might reasonably have been looked to as willing to supply this great need; but instead these children are bred in a detestation of the discipline and monotony of domestic duties and imbued with the craving for constant amusement which has become the necessity of all classes. The orphanages and other charitable organizations, which are in great part kept up by voluntary public subscriptions, are equally unwilling to assist in any way ; their children also are to be trained for other more congenial employments, so that the unfortunate householders
have but two alternatives—they are either obliged to do their own daily work, and thereby are seriously hampered in ful- filling the duties of their own special sphere, or, like myself, they are compelled from time to time to leave a comfortable home for a temporary lodging. These are facts, though you " do not believe a word of it."—I am, Sir, &c.,
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