[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] POSITION OF BARMAIDS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 71, 20 September 1912, Page 3

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] POSITION OF BARMAIDS

PETITION TO PRIME MINISTER. AITCKLANDTI9th September. It is understood that at a very largely attended meeting of barmaids to-day, a resolution was carried affirming that a petition be forwarded to the Prime Minister in the following terms :—: — "The memorial of the undersigned citizenesses of the Dominion of New Zealand, showeth that, in view of the probability of legislation being introduced into Parliament at its present session, seriously affecting rights and privileges of some of the undersigned, and still more seriously the livelihood of some of them, your petitioners now respectfully submit that if sudh legislation is introduced a strong effort shall be made cither entirely to prevent the injuries anticipated, or at any rate to modify results thereof. The legislation referred to is in connection with a -proposed amendment of Part 2 of the Licensing Amendment Act, 1910. That part of the Act of 1910 has undoubtedly caused considerable injury to many of your petitioners and perspns similarly circumstanced. Many of your petitioners, though not registered in accordance with the provisions of that Act, are now employed in various hotels throughout the Dominion in positions analogous to that of a barmaid within the meaning of the Act, and are, as you are aware, lawfully so employed. Some of your petitioners suffered great hardships in consequence | of the passing of the Act, owing to illness and othei: causes over which they had no control preventing them coming within the stringent provisions of the Aftt, contained in Section 36, Subsection 4, of that Act, though in some cases such analogous positions had been occupied by such persons for many years previous to the passing of that Act. Seeing that some of your petitioners are earning their living in a perfectly legitimate manner, in all respects, and in an entirely lawful calling and employment, and seeing that the proposed legislation threatens to deprive them of those means of living without any compensation, your petitioners most respectfully submit their views to you in this manner, and most, earnestly' urge you, as head of ' the of this Dominion, to assist them to retain their rights and privileges. We would further respectfully point out to, you that many of your petitioners are supporters, and sometimes sole supporters, of members of their family, and would be indeed hard put to it to obtain any substituted employment if prevented from following their present and customary avocation. We trust that we may look to you, as hedd of the Legislature, to safeguard our rights and privileges, and to avert dangers now threatening us and those depending .upon us." If is understood similar action will be taken in other centres.