WAITERS—AND WAITERS

Evening Star, Issue 19408, 17 November 1926, Page 5

WAITERS—AND WAITERS

EMPLOYERS PREFER GIRL LABOR When is a waiter not a waiter? The conurdrum as it applies to tho majority of “waiters” in restaurants and tea rooms can be answered by “ Never,” according to a proprietor in Dunedin. ... “if it were not for the ridiculous anomaly of the regulations, wo would uot entertain tho employment of waiters,” he said. The regulations provided that no female shall be employed later than 10.30 p.m. in any public eating-house. And as many people are having their supper at that hour the rooms have either to bo closed or the patrons served by waiters. Yet if the catering is done in a hall, the waitresses may bo employed alter 10.30. . , . A 1 . And the proprietor contended that tho law was anomalous for that reason. “If you are entertaining a distinguished visitor, you ha no to choose either a congenial tea room with a rush supper to have the tables cleared by 10.30 (and tho party is just really beginning at that hour) or go to some cold, uncharitable hall and serve supper as for a bun fight.” The anomaly, too, penalises tne patrons. Extra wages have to be paid waiters, and consequently there can be no reduction in the price of sapper. . But the proprietors, he said, would not mind so long as they could get waiters. But the “ waiters ” ©Boring were not waiters. They wore_ isuallv men out of work and took waiting as a means of livelihood. The impression some of them had was that one© a man had carried a tray they wore experienced waiters. ■ They were not waiters as i atrons of English restaurants and tea rooms knew them. There and _on ships the waiters went about their duties expeditiously and unostentatiously. _ The patrons were not bothered by interruptions when the services wore being removed or by coffee being tipped down their backs, and the waiters did not seem to take any notice of the conversation between the d.ners. In Dunedin, he told tho reporter, the class of waitress was exceptionally high, but unfortunately msnfbnent were coming forward to meet Ihe demand. That was evident at busy times when males had to bo employed. The girls were drifting to the nouh, and the labor market was difficult, as Dunedin proprietors could not engage girls as there was a very small drifting population. Some of the waitresses returned from the north ami some came from there. But his experiences were that the northern waitress could not be compared to the Dunedin pirl. Girls were more adapted for attending in dining rooms, the restauranteur said. Thev possessed a quicker mentality, were faster, and neater workers, and, moreover, the public preferred a waitress to a waiter. The men were unfitted for waiting, many of them being good only ior “ navvymg.” _