AUCKLAND LETTER.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14728, 5 August 1921, Page 6

AUCKLAND LETTER.

BARMIADS. (From Our Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, August 5. The shortage of barmaids, not only in Auckland, but throughout the Dominion, is almost as acute as the shortage of houses. Since it was made illegal to employ women or girls as dispensers of liquid refreshment—other than those employed at that time in that capacity —no fresh recruits, of course, have been “called to the bar.” In Dunedin, only 16 barmaids are in evidence at. the .present time, and I fancy not many, more (if any more) are to be found in this city. “Bar-tenders,” or “bar-keep-ers,” as the Americans eall them — men —are filling the positions so long almost exclusively occupied by women, and in the fulness of time New Zealand will have no barmaids at all. Some people go so far as to predict that it will have no bars. But that is another story.

INSTRUCTION IN SEX HYGIENE,

There is still a good deal of discussion going on regarding the delicate question of sex hygiene, in connection with school children. Many people appear to think that it is most necessary and desirable that children should be enlightened on mutters pertaining to sex, but nobody seems to be at all anxious to assume the role of instructor. Mr. Law, bead of the Auckland Normal School, who must be reckoned an authority, considers that the instruction should be conveyed by a medical man, in the case of each school. “It' has beep suggested,” says Mr. Law, “that the syllabus should be altered to allow of children receiving this instruction in class. But I doubt the advisability of this. Even if it be deemed advisable to extend this duty to the teacher, it could be best fulfilled in private.” This is certainly a difficult question. Personally, I am inclined to think, taking one consideration with another, that the subject had best be left severely alone. THE STAFF OF LIFE.

“Which is preferable —white bread or whole-meal bread?” This is one of the burning questions that is under discussion in Auckland at the present moment. An amusing feature of the controversy is the contention thac brown or brownish bread —that is whole-meal bread —is not regarded with favour by sausage-makers, “on account of the colour and flavour it imparts to the sausage.” And, sausage-makers have to be considered, because they take such a lot of stale bread off: the hands of the bakers. They certainly put a good deal of it into their sausages. The ordinary sausage retailed in this city is about 50 per cent, bread, in fact. By the, way, it has been unkindly suggested that the true reason why brown or whole-meal bread is unpopular . with the makers of the “bags of mystery” is, that “it does not absorb so much water as white bread, and therefore does not go so far in sausage-making.” However, this,- as numerous newspaper correspondents have pointed out. is a question that concerns a good many people besides the makers of sausages. As a regular consumer of whole-meal bread myself, I am glad to know, on the authority of a medical man, that “the nutritional value of whole-meal bread has been scientifically and absolutely demonstrated.” Of course, the general preference is for white bread, and, so far as I knoAv, only one Auckland baker makes the other kind. He has a large sale for it.

DANCING AND THEATRE-GOING.

The Rev. J. Kemp, pastor of the Auckland Tabernacle —so long identified with the Rev. T. Spurgeon —is just now very much in the limelight. He is delivering a series of sermons or addresses on such attractive themes as theatre-going and the modern dance, and hundreds flock to hear him. Dancing, as commonly practised in the 20th century, is regarded by Mr. Kemp as a wile of the Evil One. “Dancing,” .declared this outspoken gentleman, the other evening, “stands condemned by the Church, and the Church’s voice is still the loudest in the land.” Is it? Well, what do you think? An Auckland lady, when asked to express her opinion regarding the subject of Mr. Kemp’s address, replied: “I really do not know what these critics are talking about in their bitter denunciation of modern dancing as something vile, something to be shunned by right-minded men and women. One cannot help wondering what kind of dancing they have been studying.” Even the wife of one of the highest Church dignitaries in Auckland can see no evil in the dance. It’s as well, perhaps, that we do not all think alike!

As for the theatre, Mr. Kemp characterises is as “the university of vice,” but admits* that since it has the countenance of the Church and clergy, “it seems futile io protest against it.” Entirely futile, I should say; and a good thing, :00. If the theatre has been responsible—and especially of late years —for much inanity, it has, in its time, delivered many sermons as eloquent and convincing as any thundered from the pulpit. The views held by the Tabernacle pastor were quite common 30

or 40 years ago. People are broaderminded, nowadays, as a rule.

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

A lady correspondent of a local daily expressed the opinion last week that girls should be encouraged to play football, because it would fit them for the “serums” incidental to the tramway “rush-hours.” Whether the authorities were influenced by this letter I don’t know, but they have decided, I understand, to discourage as much as possible the “shoving” and jostling which are such marked features of “the 5 o’clock rush.” They have also decided to throw the onus on the passenger when it comes to a question of fares. Henceforth it will be useless for the man who habitually dodges the conductor when that official comes along to collect the fares, to pretend not to see him. He will have to “ante-up.” Quite right, of course. Up to now, the uncollected fares on the Auckland tram routes must have totalled hundreds of pounds a month. But, while they were about it, I think it would have been as well if the tramway people had made the regulations concerning the jumping on and off the cars while they are in motion a bit more stringent. I see men every day chasing cars travelling at top speed, and jumping on to them, at the risk of their lives. If one of these foolhardy persons, chances to fall in getting on or off, the conductor instantly whips out his notebook and asks for his name and address. But so long as he doesn’t meet with an accident, nothing is said to him. I wonder how many men have been killed in Auckland, to date, as the result of their flagrant disregard of the regulation anent moving cars — which regulation, as everybody knows, is simply a dead letter?