ABOLITION OF BARMAIDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 942, 15 July 1903, Page 3

ABOLITION OF BARMAIDS.

DISCUSSED BY WAIAPU REFORM LEAGUE.

■* At the meeting o! the Waiapu Temperaneo. Keform League held on Monday 9 evening, an animated discussion took place i with regard to the following clause of the t Committee’s report with reference to bari maids, “To disallow the employment of females in bars except where they are interested in the business or are immediate relatives of the licensee.” Mrs Scott, said a barmaid, according to her mind, should not be prohibited from earning her living m such a manner. It was disgusting if men were not able to behave better. It would be a disgrace to the colony for such a state of affairs to exist. A stock-in-trade of the no-license party was that such a movement should be advocated. She was sorry to see the clausa in the report, and was of opinion that the hotels would have been in a worse state bad barmaids not been serving. Mr Lysnar held that Mrs Scott did not perceive the real object of the League, j Their desire was to minimise to the greatest extent the attractiveness of the | bar. A matter to bo deplored was the magnet of -the barmaids to young men ; they did not want such an attractiveness to be permitted. There was no doubt that some fine women were barmaids. Bis that was not the question. It was the attractiveness of such fine, pleasant women. (Laughter.) He considered they were all good women, and the main issue of the League was to make the bars as less attractive as possible.

Mrs Scott contended that such a move had been considered a great point by Miss Baigarnie when in this district, and she did not fail to make use of it. She (Mrs Scott) moved that the clause be struck out.

Mr Lysnar said he would second the motion pro forma. Mr Birrell confessed that he was not a teetotaller, and considered that a good number of shillings which crossed the bar were due to the attractiveness of the fine young women behind the bar. This he knew from experience. He would like to emphasise the fact that the League did not wish to make any disparagement of the sex—it was the “ magnet.” He stated that a local publican took upon himself to do away with barmaids, but he found that his returns were not up to the usual standard, and he was glad to reinstate them.

Mr Lysnar said that it was reported that that licensee had been £lO per week short in his takings. As far as Miss Balgarnie’s statement was cqncerned re the abolition of barmaids, if it suited her to

put an evil construction on the matter, he was sure that the oommunity-at large would not do so. He considered that they should not be swayed on the matter because of; Miss Balgarnio’s improper construction.

Mrs Scott’s motion was put to the meeting and lost. After further discussion it was decided that the clause should read as follows ; 11 To disallow the employment of females in bars except where they are the licensees or are immediate relatives of the licensees.”