Child Care

Lodging at the Wayside Tavern on a few days break was the local "Child Welfare" officer.

Two infant children were also staying in the same room.
She (the Child Welfare officer) spent most of each day and all of each night "gone out to the pub", she simply locked the kids in the room and drew the curtains.

Toward these infants she displayed only irritation & anger, they made noise, were an impediment to attracting men, and made demands on her time.

Mine Host bailed her up & advised that she'd better start caring for the infants, and be seen to be taking care of them.
In the manner of a police officer announcing that road rules are only for others, she retorted triumphantly that reporting her "wouldn't work" as she was the one to whom Mine Host would have to make such a report. "So there!!"

She then paled, realising that Mine Host's intention was to contact her Head of Department in Canberra. Panicking now that her sinecure was in jeapoardy, and knowing the consequences she was instrumental in inflicting upon others for much less, she hotly accused Mine Host of "racism".

Realising this wasn't going to fly very far she cravenly began attempting to placate Mine Host. All sorts of promises were made, including broad hints of extensive and "wild" bedroom favours.

Mine Host, incredulous that she believed he was not motivated by disgust at the treatment of the infants, pointed out that he would not be warned off, could not be bought off, and that unless her infant care exceeded his expectations pronto, he would be on the phone to the head of her Department.