Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(N.Z.) shared payment for food or drinks.

1916		Wairarapa Daily Times 6 Sept. 4: A ‘Jamie Woodser’ is the exact equivalent of a ‘Parnell Shout’ which is the only kind of ‘shout’ now permitted [DNZE].
c.1930		P.S. Ardern postcard in DNZE (1998) 577/1: Parnell shout, a ‘dutch treat’, from Pamell’s ‘poor but independent’ outlook.
c.1940		R. Farquhar postcard in DNZE (1998) 577/1: To go Parnell with someone is to pay for one’s own share of an outing, treat, etc.
c.1945		Ruth Mason (Wellington, 1953) postcard in DNZE (1998) 577/1: A Parnell shout is a ‘Dutch treat’.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 153: Parnell shout Paying for oneself. The phrase lingers from when the Auckland inner suburb was poor but proud, before its makeover as a trendy place to live and eat. In early C20 to go Parnell was to pay your share.