REGISTERED BARMAIDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 240, 10 April 1912, Page 3

REGISTERED BARMAIDS

A FLAW IN THE ACT. NO DEARTH OF GIRLS. Auckland, April 0. A decidedly anomalous position has arisen in connection with the recent law framed for all 'barmaids to be registered. It is quite obvious that the Act had in view the gradual elimination of all girls from behind the bar, but unless the Act is amended there seems little likelihood of its fulfilling its purpose. It is now nearly twelve months since the closing of registration, and there are nearly a thousand registered barmaids in the Dominion. No statistical data have been kept to show in what provinces the registration has taken place, as once a girl is registered she is eligible to serve behind a : bar anywhere in Neiw Zealand. It was naturally anticipated that as time went by and no further registrations were allowed to take place the fascinating Hebes behind the bar would drop out owing to marriage and other causes until they became extinct. It is understood that the Crown law ruling on the matter, however, is that the Act applies only to public bars, and not to private bars. The consequence is that unregistered barmaids are being taken on in the private bars, while the few public bars in which female labor is employed are supplied with duly registered barmaids in accordance with the requirements of the Act. In these circumstances, there is naturally no dearth of girls, and as tilings are at present there is little prospect of any such scarcity. When the legal interpretation of the Act is to the effect that public bars are the only bare that must be registered there is little prospect off a prosecution, succeeding.