mince, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

mince v.

1. (N.Z.) to work as a prostitute on several different boats in a single night; used by a ship-moll under ship n.¹; thus mincing n.

1982		Truth (Wellington) 19 Jan. 7: And the Napier girls talked about ‘mincing’. That means when they hop from one ship in port to another [DNZE].
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 135: mince How ship girls describe jumping ship-to-ship. 1980s.

2. (N.Z. prison, also go mincing) to conduct illegal conversations with officers or inmates on wings other than one’s own.

1999		D. Looser ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 33: mince v. To hold conversation (sometimes illegally) with other inmates or wings.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 117/1: mince (also go mincing) v. to converse (illegally) with inmates or officers in other wings.

mince about (v.)

(N.Z.) to loiter, to ‘hang about’.

1982		H. Beaton Outside In I i: sandy: I’ve been up to the office eh? Runnin’ messages for cowface, eh? ma: You’ll mince about once too often, lady.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 135: mince about To lurk. 1980s.