A BARMAID'S DUTIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 705, 29 May 1879, Page 2

A BARMAID'S DUTIES.

"Atticus" in the Leader, writes t— "Some one has compressed the whole duty of man into an essay, which few people read. One of the latest literary productions on a like subject comes from a publican in want of a Hebe, and may appropriately be called ''The Whole Duty of a Barmaid." The following are the conditions which he imposes by letter, and which he expects the applicant for the situation to agree to : ' You would be required to have the bar open every morning, winter and summer, by a quarter to six o'clock. Of course you shut up at twelve, but will be required to remain in attendance until the house is closed, when you can retire for the night. Mrs M. and my* self generally go out a couple of evenings through the week, on which occa* sions you will have to sit up until we^ return. But you must clearly under-M stand that no matter how late you raavfl have to remain up you must always; have the bar open on the following morning by the time already mentioned. Once a month a ball takes places in my house, and after you have closed the doors you must remain in attendance on the ladies during the night. As the company separates a litiie before 5 a.m., you must have the bar open before they leave, as a little money is generally spent before parting takes place. Mrs M. and I then retire to bed for some hours, so that yon will have to be at business that day as usual. For this extra work I will give you £1 for yourself. I would also mention that your time for breakfast will be about 9 a.m., when Mrs M. comes into the bar, and you will be allowed a quarter of an hour for breakfast, the same for dinner, i and ten minutes for tea. Mrs M. never permits her barmaids to absent themselves on Sundays, bo that you would have to be at hand, whether required or not. The wages are commensurate with the work ; are also what a barmaid | seldom gets, viz., £2 a week, if you, suit, at the end of three months I will give you an additional 2s 6d ; and, if you continue a6fcive, at the end of another three months your wages will be increased to £2 ,6s.' The eight hours' movement evidently does not find favor with this philanthropic boniface, and all we read about hardworked governesses and Beamstreses fades into insignificance when compared with the duties of a barmaid. "