Barmaids or Barmen.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 150, 24 September 1872, Page 7

Barmaids or Barmen.

Which would be more conducive to the ends of morality, chastity, and sobriety? There is no sphere of life which we can conceive more thoroughly repellant. to a young woman who is suddenly removed from the modest associations of her own fireside to encounter the sort of men who adopt the pastime, of bar-ranging for their leisxire hoursmen that Pope hit off exactly in a single line, when he ascribed to them "the brain of feather and the heart of lead." And the woman who goes through the ordeal without being injured by it is as noticeable a creature as the soldier who passes untouched throughout a long and furious campaign. If anybody is to be blamed it is not they, but the people and the system that conspire to make them necessary to the business of selling intoxicating drinks to their fellow cre.ttures. No doubt in the present circumscribed field ■>f employment for women, the bar offers an escape from absolute poverty, perhaps, or from even worse, but it would bo quite possible to make it less dangerous and demoralising to them by stripping it of those factitious seductions which at present surround it. There is no necessity for making the barroom a lounge for all the idle and dissipated people that frequent it for want of something better to do. Primarily, the object of the bar-counter is to sell drink to the thirsty, and if no provision were made for entertaining them, the thirsty would quench thenthirst and depart. The inducement to drink for the sake of drinking would be partially removed if there was no comfortable retiring room behind the scenes to drink and be drunk in without fear of exposure. Nobody who has really thought over the mischief propagated in the bar-parlour, has failed to denounce it as the source and organ of a good deal of the extravagance and vice which is laid bare in the police courts. And if the bar-parlour could be removed, half the objections to the barmaid would lie removed with it. Barmen are employed in some places it is true, but they are few and far between ; the fashion of employing them does not seem to spread. Of course their disqualifications, compared with the other sex, are obvious enough. In the first place barmaids don't drink. Generally the sight of the liquor they are everlastingly dispensing to society disgusts and surfeits them, and their temperate habits arc therefore a serious consideration to the employer, who has to place the tap at their uncontrolled disposal. Then again they have the seduction which men cannot have, which make a pretty face a very valuable market commodity in the bar trade. To forego these advantages for the sake either of the silly moths of men whom it is the business of the barmaid to keep fluttering about her, or for the sake of the feelings of the barmaid herself, is what the liquor seller won't do of his own accord as long as the law sanctions the existing system, and if the system is to be changed, the innovation must begin with the law. Bars must be kept to their original object, and no drinking must be allowed in any other part of the premises, except to persons residing thereon.— Melbourne Paper.

. The Gold Mining Bill. The following skit on the above measure, supplied to the Tuapeka Times by a correspondent, is too good to be missed : Mining Board. 219. Any person desirous of mining on the goldfields of New Zealand shall forward an application to that effect to the Inspector of the district in which he proposes to mine, together with the sum of five pounds as a deposit to cover the preliminary expenses of the application ; and on receipt of the application and deposit, the Inspector shall examine the applicant as to his name, age, place of birth, and any other particulars he mav think neces- „„„... „*A „1 u 4.1 „;„_x': _•_:. uujxr , cvu-u. k>.ii\.miM. tiic u-vauiiiiatiuii jnuvc aatisfactory, the Inspector shall furnish the applicant with a board not less than twelve iuches square, with the Avord " miner" legibly painted thereon, in letters not less than two inches in length, and the applicant shall at all times keep the said board posted on his back, or other conspicuous part of his person, for the information of the Inspector ; and any miner neglecting to wear his board, as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for each offence.

Claims, how worked. 220. Any miner desiring to commence work shall forward an application to the Inspector, together with the sum of five pounds as a deposit to cover the preliminary expenses ; and on the receipt thereof, the Inspector shall put the miner in possession of a claim, and shall give the miner full instructions as to the manner in which he shall work the same ; and any miner neglecting to comply with such instructions, shall forfeit and pay a penalty of five pounds for each offence. Repair of Tools. 221. Anyminerwho shall require to sharpen a pick or purchase a long-handled shovel, shall forward an application to that effect to the Inspector, together with the sum of five pounds as a deposit to cover preliminary expenses ; and on receipt thereof, the Inspector shall examine the pick or shovel, as the case may be, and if there be no objection, may grant the application : and after deducting any necessary and reasonable expenses for whisky and cigars from the deposit money, the balance (if any) shall be returned to the applicant. Amusements. 222. If at any time any legally-qualified miner, under this Act, should be desirous to engage in any game of cribbage, euchre, billiards, or any otk< r game of chance or skill, he shall forward an application to that effect to the Inspector, together with the sum of five pounds as a deposit to cover the preliminary expenses ; and on receipt of the deposit, the Inspector shall proceed to the spot indicated, and shall inquire into the nature of the game, and after due consideration may grant permission for the game to be played ; provided, nevertheless, that should the Inspector elect to take a hand in the game, the applicant shall stand out ; and any expenses incurred by the Inspector shall, at the conclusion of the game or games, be deducted from the deposit, and the balance (if any) returned j to the applicant. * l Miners guilty of complaining. 223. And be it enacted, that any minerj within the meaning of this Act who, not hav- ] ing the fear of God before his eyes, and being tempted by the devil, shall wickedly and fe-; loniously use any profane or vulgar language J in the presence of an Inspector, or who shall; grumble or make complaint of the small j amount of deposit money returned, or shall! in any other manner or way injure the feel- j ings of an Inspector, shall on conviction bej sentenced to penal servitude for any period | not exceeding fourteen years, at the discretion i of the Inspector. Worship of Inspectors. 224. It shall be lawful for any miner, within ! the meaning of this Act, to attend public worship on the Sabbath Day, anything to the I contrary in this Act notwithstanding ; pro- j vided that such act of public worship shall! not be allowed to interfere with the spirit of | humble reverence due to the Inspector dur-1 ing the six remaining days of the week. Escape, of Miners. 225. And be it further enacted, that should any miner or party of miners, with that per-1 versity which is inherent in their nature, be ' unable to appreciate the peculiar blessings of; this Act, and endeavour to escape from the i colony,,the Inspector shall solemnly curse; them, individually and collectively, provided that in the event of the miners departing in j too great numbers to be cursed individually, it shall be deemed a sufficient compliance with the provisions of this Act, if the Inspector shall curse them by shiploads, and all miners anathematised by the Inspector shall be debarred from the blessings of New Zealand legislation for evermore.