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Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1489, 18 November 1874, Page 2

It is pleasant to see that there is some one at the Thames chivalrous enough to put the machinery of the law in force for the protection of Mr Fox's pets—the barmaids. The object of his solicitude in the first place is the lovely Hebe that dispenses threepennies at the Pacific, and host Curtis ia the corrid

monster. We should like to know if the fair object of these attentions feels any gratitude to her intending preserver ; and extending our views, further We wonder if the barmaids in the mass reel inclined to bless the father of tb;e Ircjiior law reform in New Zealand for his efforts for the amelioration of their sad condition. A good many questions present themselves in relation to this Shortening of a barmaid's hours. To her owners1, her chief value is under the gaslight. JD&ring the day, people are too Wsy to go fooling with ringlets, and a man only drinks when he i 3 thirsty. But it is at night, when the diy's cares are over, and time is of no account, that the sweet influences of these priestesses of Bacchus steat over a ffeHbw, and he feels funny Snd goeij loafing about the counter;, and sipping B"& S., for appearance sake> !so that he may squeezes the pretty little finger-tips as they place the change in his hand, and whisper little contidentialisms so that he may febl rhe soft little ringlels rtiatliug against his whisker. Then it is that a man feels tender interest in the little bejeweled circlets that enclose the tiney little fingers, and the locket pendent from the neck embosomed in bhe gauzey muslin and fl.owSrs k-hiifc rice and fall responsive to the gentle suspirations tMt fan his cheek and make him thirsty. These are the hours when Bonifaces reap the rewards of having pretty barmaids, aud any thing £hat limits these hours is jttst so rnuc)i pecuniary loss. But th«n let us Joofe on the other side. We entirely syrnp'afchiss with the motive which prompts the shortening of barmaids' hours at night, but when it is alleged that this is in the inberests of propriety, there we entirely differ. We would not for anything insinuate any thing in the world, but if barmaids are for their own good let free at eight or nine or ten, or even eleven o'clock at night, fellows are sure to go fooling about, and ask them ,if .they "ever tSakg a walk in the evening. Ktt, no, if barmaids are obliged to ' shut off gas at early hours, then tne follows that go fooling after barmaids should be shut up in their rooms an;l not let go loafing about the streets and lanes. The whole affair constitutes a difficult social problem which completely flahergast3 us, but We are quite sure that letting out GhCso fascinating sirens of the beer-pump for an hour or two after having been making conquests all the evening, will not conduce to the ends contemplated by the well-meaning hut- in thia lihe the wholly unsophiscated Mr. Fox. No, no ; when the barmaids leave the bar, if they are not put in a glass case for protection, and stood up on the counter to be looked afc, drive them to their rooms and lock them up. That's the way to do it, and we commend our ideas to the moral reformers at the Thames.