Last year, he said, a bill providing for the registration of barmaids had been passed with the object of securing ultimately their abolition. Since then it had been discovered that there was a flaw in the act.
Only barmaids serving in public bars were required to register, and the act permitted women to serve in private bars.
It was intended that the act should be remedied at once. He felt, as the people of the Dominion felt, that no woman in New Zealand should have to earn a living serving alcoholic liquor.
• Is it a co-incidence, or has it another meaning (asks the Clutha Leader)?
Constable Tracey and the Rev Mr Blair were together many years ago at Port Chalmers. Mr Blair got a call to Queenstown; the constable followed him.
Later, Mr Blair was invited to Clinton; again the man in blue was on his tracks, and settled also in Clinton.
Some years ago the constable was transferred to Leeston, and now Mr Blair returns the compliment and follows.
Mr Tracey can evidently see the joke, for on the day after the decision of the Leeston people Mr Blair got a wire from his old friend something as follows: "Glad to find we're again to work the parish together."
• The Dunedin Aero Club held its fortnightly meeting last evening in the president's office. Correspondence was received from the editor of Flight and one of the English clubs.
The first of the club's theoretical certificates was awarded to Mr B. Hughes.
Reports in regard to the model exhibition which it is proposed to hold in October were considered. Mr C. Chapman read a very interesting paper on "The History of Aviation."
• According to Bishop White, of Carpentaria, the aborigines there, when swimming the rivers, always place the women at the end of the line, and the oldest women last of all.
They have found by experience, they told him, that in these swimming processions the alligators always attack the hindmost members of the party.
• The theft of three cabbages and 12 beets from a Chinaman's garden resulted in a small boy of 11 years of age appearing before the magistrate in the Auckland Police court last week.
The boy stated that he had been deputed by his mother to go and purchase the vegetables, but had lost the money.
Rather than brave the parental wrath he had stolen what was required.
The magistrate discharged the boy stipulating, however, that his father should give him a thrashing.
• A correspondent, writing from Inchclutha, informs us that a white crane or heron - probably the same bird as was in the district some years ago - has again made its appearance on the sanctuary lagoon on Mr George Anderson's Balmoral Farm, Inchclutha.
It is fairly tame, and one can easily approach within 50 yards of it. Our correspondent expresses the hope that persons with guns will spare this beautiful bird if it should be found in other waters.
• There are now 43 motorcars and motor bicycles registered in the Borough of Oamaru (says the Oamaru Mail).
The motorcars number about 30, and over 20 of these are of American manufacture.
- ODT, 25.6.1912
