DAYLIGHT ROBBERY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20477, 1 December 1934, Page 10

DAYLIGHT ROBBERY.

Tipping System Should Be Abolished. ENGLISH WRITER’S PROTEST. The practice of tipping brings to the average individual probably more embarrassment in his or her life than any other form of annoyance, says a writer. We protest inwardly against this unreasonable custom, but we submit meekly all the same, with the rather humiliating feeling that one individual can do nothing against the army of the rapacious. Recently, however, a lucid exposition by Sir Herbert Llewellyn Smith, who has headed an inquiry into the system and published it in “ The New Survey of London Life and Labour,” has brought home to the. average individual the scope, the extent and operation of the tipping evil. It appears that tips make an appreciable addition to the earnings of railway porters, hairdressers, taxi-cab drivers

and chauffeurs, and to a certain section of hotel and restaurant workers. In the case of the latter the average going to each amounts to £5 per week. In the case of those knights in shining livery known as hotel porters, thev rarely receive more than a nominal wage, but some of them have incomes exceeding £IOOO a year, and they usually pay a premium to secure the job. One famous hotel porter who died a year or two ago left nearly £20.000. Why should the public have tr> pay tribute to these particular types? If their employers expect them to give good service to the publis, who foot the bills, why should they not remunerate them accordingly? In any event, why make the man dependent on the caprice of those whom he serves, and compel him to maintain a servile relationship—at any rate, until he has received his tip? The whole matter is entirely illogical. If one enters one of the great stores or shops of the present time, it is to be received with the utmost courtesy, and all possible is done to render service of the highest degree to each individual customer. Yet who thinks of dipping a shop assistant? But if the hairdresser expects—and gets--a tip. why should not the assistant, who may give such tactful and painstaking assistance at the store? Difficult to Suppress. Legislation might render tipping illegal, although the attempt to suppress it would probabb- be futile. But only some kind of combined effort could suppress the practice, and what is needed is for some persons of eminence and standing to form a “ No-Tipping League.” and contrive to bring the great mass of the public into its .anks. Efforts of this kind have been made to put down less irksome customs. Scarcely a day passes but we are caused a feeling of irritation because we know we are expected to tip and have no idea what the amount should be. Some folks maintain that they can make, themselves safe by tipping to the extent of 10 per cent at hotels and restaurants, but this does not always work out properly, and is manifestly inapplicable to other branches f this system of extortion. Many foreign hotels adopt the system of adding 10 per cent “ for service ” to the bills. But this rarely puts an end to the evil. Probably in not more than one-third of foreign hotels where this system is in vogue does the visitor escape without having to pay out in much the same manner as usual. If the bold front is maintained, and the looks of the head waiter and hotel Dorter are disregarded, it may be taken for granted that it would be inadvisable to revisit that hotel as a guest. i If any of us. especially those who j travel a good deal, kept an exact I account of the amount spent in ♦ips in ! a year, the total would probabiy be astonishing. But we go on. submitting with meekness, although generally with acute annoyance to this form of tribute and we give our ihdividual helplessness as the main reason for our servitude. It is surely time that some bold leader should arise who would , : ther us all under the banner of “ No-Tips.” and bring us back to freedom.