PERPETUAL YOUTH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 March 1936, Page 5

PERPETUAL YOUTH

BARMAIDS IN VICTORIA SLir”T DECREASE SHOWN none licensed for 20 years MELBOURNE, 12th March. “If you want to retain perpetual youth, be a barmaid.” That advice was given by the Rev. J. Stewart at the annual conference of the Victorian Local Option Alliance yesterday He produced figures to show that, apparently, barmaids never die or even hide away. Twenty years ago the number of licensed barmaids in Victoria was 8663. Since 1917 legislation has been in force Having the ultimate object of excluding women and girls from employment in liquor bars. But the number of barmaids in that period has been reduced only by 20, or one a year. One speaker at the conference said that a licenct: issued many years ago to a woman then aged 61. years was stiil current Tiie discussion arose when the conlorenco was considering an item in the general report, which alleged that tlie police had not taken sufficient action to deal with the unaul horixed employment of barmaids. The report said it was certain that many women were illegally so employed. It had been proved that traflicieing in barmaid:!’ licences was common. Even in some of Melbourne s most fashionable hotels the il:egnl employment' of uiregisteml barmaids was dill being connived a.t.

M,. S'eow"ut moved that, tiie Government should be asked to take swift and salutary action to enlor'-e tin- Ac? providing for the ultimate elimination •if barmaids, the flagrant defiance ol which bad become- a public scandal which should not he tolerated by Parhirrient or the public Mr Stewart offered to buy all barmaids’ licences in '’ictovia. saving s,h»t he dull make his fortune by selling them in Hollywood to film stars who desired to remain eternal v young. Twenty vears ago the icro of barmaids', ranged between 28 and 45, and they were still the same age. They seemed to have discovered tiie great elixir of li'e. The motion was agreed to unani’nonslv