bait layer, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bait layer n.

[pun on SE bait, poison (put out for vermin etc)/UK north. dial. bait, food + SE lay out (i.e. on a table); note Stephens & O’Brien, Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Slang (ms.; 1900–10): ‘A baitlayer proper is a boundary rider or other station employee whose duty it is to distribute pieces of poisoned meat about the station as baits for dingoes, wild cats, or dogs. Particular opprobrium attaches to this word when used by travellers or drovers, whose dogs often die of poisoning [etc.]’]

(N.Z.) a station cook; latterly used for an army cook; a restaurant cook.

1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 6: BAIT-LAYER: station slang a cook: syn. poisoner.
1965		B. Wannan Fair Go, Spinner 126: ‘Crippen’, ‘poisoner’, ‘bait-layer’, are other terms for a bush cook.
1968		J. Alard He who Shoots Last 74: ‘Tell da bait layer dat he wants da biggest Veronica Lakes wot he’s got,’ ordered the Wrecker.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 12/2: bait layer cook in army; originally station cook. NZA.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].