THE TIPPING HABIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 232, 19 February 1913, Page 7

THE TIPPING HABIT.

USCOXTROU/ABLK AS THE WIXD. ] A = it much-travelled American. Mr. A. McQucstion. of Boston, was asked by a Wellington reporter about the anti-tip-ping crusade in America, and its chances of being effective. "They have as little chance of stopping j the tipping habit as of stopping the ; winds tliat blow." said the visitor! '-'lt exists everywhere alongside the wealthy class, and the bigger the bill the bigger the tip. That's the scale on which it is figured out in the bi« hotels." 'Mr. MeQue<tion mentioned a big and world-wide-known hotel in New York, where the managing director was formerly the head waiter, and can remember having to tip him handsomely in order to get a decent seat at table. Tt was the same with the bedroom steward ' —all long-lingered gentry. Still, there were plenty of hotels even in America I when' there was no tipping, and some where the bell-boy would probably fall down in a lit if he were given a tip. They were places frequented by people of restricted means. At one' of the leading hotels in Cairo not only is the chief waiter not paid any wages, but actually pays a, premium to get the position. It is an extremely wealthy class who frequent Cairo in the season. Apropos of lipping. Mr. McQuestion tells a story of a hotel proprietor friend r' his who took a pride in his fast trotting horse, which in winter was attached to sleigh-, and made good time over a good snow road. One dav he was caught and _passed by another trotter, and on looking at the driver, recognised in him hi- own head waiter. When they next met. the exasperated hotel proprietor said: "Say. Jake, you must have more money than me. Cness you had better buy an hotel of your own!" It was < lotting ,„i| (1,,. tip-nmnev too loudly that lost -Jake'" his position.