OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 656, 5 August 1921, Page 5

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) BARMAIDS. AUCKLAND, August 5. The shortage of barmaids, not only in Auckland, but throughout the Dominion, is about as acute as the shortage of houses. Since it was made illegal to employ women or girls as idispensers of liquid refreshments—other than those at that time employed in that capacity—no fresh recruits, of course, have been “called to the bar,” In Dunedin only sixteen bar maids are in evidence at the present time, and I fancy that not many more (if any more)/ are to be found in this city. “Bar tenders,” or “bar helps,” as the Americans call them—men—are filling the positions so long almost exclusively occupied by women, and in the fulness of time New Zealand will have no bar maids at all. Some people go so far as to predict that it will have no bars. But that is another story.

INSTRUCTION IN SEX HYGIENE,

There is still a good deal of discussion going on regarding the delicate question of sex hygiene in connection with school children. Many people appear to think that it is most necessary and desirable that children should be enlightened on matters pertaining to sex, but nobody appears, at all anxious to assume the role of instructor. Mr Law (headmaster of\ Auckland Normal School) who must be reckoned an authority, considers that -The instruction should be conveyed by a medical man in the case of each school. “It has been suggested,” says Mr Law, “that the syllabus should be altred to allow of,children receivingthis instruction in clas’s. But I dopbt the advisability of this. Even if it be deemed advisable to extend this duty fto the teacher, it could be best fulfilled in private. This is certainly a difficult question. Personally, I am inclined to think, taking one consideration with another, that the subject has best be left severely alone.; THE STAFF OF LIFE. “Which is preferable—white bread •or whole —meal bread ?” This is one of the burning rpiestions that is under discussion in Auckland at the moment. An amusing feature of the controversy is the contention that brown or brownish bread —that is wholesome bread —is not regarded Vith favour by sausage-makers “on account of the colour and flavour it imparts to the sausage.” And saus-age-makers have to be consideredHaecause they take such a lot of stale bread off the hands of the bakers. They certainly put a good deal of it into their sausages. The ordinary sausage retailed in this city is about 50 per cent, bread, in fact, by the way, it b as been unkindly suggested that the true reason why brown or wbea'tmeal bread is unpopular with the makers ot “the bags of mystery” is that “it does not absorb so much water as white bread, and therefore does not go so far in sausage-mak-ing.’ However, this, as numerous newspaper correspondents have pointedo ut, is a question that affects a, good many people besides the connecters of sausages. As a regular consumer of wholesome bread myself, I am glad to know, on the authority of a medical man, that “the nutriional value of wheatmeal bread has been scienifically and absolutely demonstrated.” Of course the general preference is for white bread, and so far as I know only one Auckland baker makes the other kind. He has a large sale for it.

HANGING AND THEATRE-GOING AT- - denounced.

The Rev. J. Kemp, pastor of the Auckland Tabernacle (so long identified with the Rev. “Tommy” Spurgeon) is just now very much in \he

limelight. He is delivering a series of sermons or addresses on such attractive subjects as' theatre-going and the modern dance, and hundreds flock to hear him. Dancing as commonly practised in the twentieth century isregared by Mr Kemp as a wile of the evil one. “Dancing,” de : dared this very out-spoken gentleman the other evening, “stands condemned by the church, and the church’s voice is still the loudest in the land.” Is it ? Well, what do you think-? An Auckland lady who occupies a high social position, when asked to express her opinion regarding the subject of Mr Kemps address, replied : “I really do not know what these critics are talking about in their bitter denunciation of modern dancing as something vile, something t<- be shunned by right-minded men and women. One cannot help wondering what kind of dancing they have been studying.” Even the wife of one of the highest church digni- ' taries in Auckland can see no evil in 1 the dances. It’s as well, perhaps. | that we do not all think alike. As for the Mr.KeTup characterises it as “the* university of vice,” but admits that since it has the countenance of the churcn and cleigy -it seems futile to protest against S'

it.” Entirely futile, I should say. And a good thing too. If the theatre has been responsible (especially of _ late years) for much inanity, it has in its time delivered many sermons as eloquent and convincing as any kindred from the pulpit. The views held' by the Tabernacle pastor were quite common thirty or forty years ago. People are broad-minded fiow-a-days, as a rule. TRAMWAY MATTERS. A lady correspondent of a local daily expressed the opinion last week that girls should be encouraged to play football because It w T ould fit them for the “scrums” incidental to tiie hours.” Whether the authorities were influenced by this letter, I do not know, but they have decided, I understand, to discourage as "much as possible, the ‘“shoving” and jostling which, on such marked features of “the five o’clock rush.’, They have also decided to throw the onus on the passenger when it comes to a question, of fares. Henceforth it will be useless for the man who habitually dodges the conductor when he comes along to collect the fares, to pretend to not to see him. He will have to ante up. Quite right, of course. Up to now the uncollected fares on the Auckland tram routes must have totalled hundreds of pounds- a month. But while they were about it, I think it would have been as well if the tramway people had made the regulations concerning the jumping on and off the cars while they are in motion a bit more stringent. I see men every day chasing cars travelling at top speed and jumping on the cars at the risk of their lives. If one of these foolhardy persons chances to fall in getting on or off the conductor instantly .whips out his note-book and asks -for his name and address. But so long as he does not meet with any accident nothing is saicl to him. I wonder how many - men have been.killed itl Auckland to date as the result of their flagrant., disregard , of-the regulation aboutmoving cars, and which regulation,, as everybody knows, is simply a dead. , letter ? .