ENTERTAINMENT AT MOUNT ALBERT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 114, 14 May 1892, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENT AT MOUNT ALBERT.

The second of the eerie? of fortnightly entertainments was held last night in the Mount Albert Hall. It was pleasantly informal, the presiding genius of the night, Mr A. Kerr-Taylor, assisted by Messrß H Conder and A, Martin, receiving the visitors, and calling their attention to the prettily arranged tables where games of all kinds, illustrated papers, etc., were provided. Music and recitations were given at intervals by the following: Mr Hubert Kensington, recitation " Dr. Bolus:" Mrs Vosper, song, " The Skipper and his Boy," accompanied by Miss Larkins; Mr Alfred Martin, humorous recitation. For an encore he gave "The Midehipmite." Mr Conder, comic, song, " The Careful Man," chorus by the audience ; Miss Kensington played the accompaniment; Mr Clifford Priestley, recitation ; Mr Gilmore, hunting song, accompanied by Miss Violet Taylor. The throe lasb were also encored. Coffee was then handed round, and a debate on smoking commenced. DEBATE ON "SMOKING." Mrßattray opened it in a practical little speech, in which he argued that smoking was objectionable on three grounds:—lt cost money; for those who spent only one shilling a week on tobacco would, if that money were put regularly in the savings bank at-Sper cent., by the time the ace of 70 was reached be in possession of £440. Smoking wa3 a dirty hubit. Note how disagreeable and unpleasant a room was after being used by smokers. Smoking; was also injurious to health, inviting dyspepsia, hear.b-disease and cancer. In support of ■-the latter, the speaker referred to the painful death olt.beJat.o_German Emperor. Mr Voßper, iri^e^slylfrgV^6a"Ee~d~~Ehat he had smokgd'tor 20 years without ill effects.. He questioned whether the ehillfng a week was saved by non-smokers. No doubt if carried to excess smoking was a dirty habit, but if indulged in in moderation it was by no means so. He contended it tended to sooth the nerves. The captain of a ship in the midst of great anxiety caused by bad weather, said he found a pipe an immense help. Personally, the speaker said, and many men would agree with him, when worried by wife or family a smoke was most soothing. Travellers, exposed to all kinds of hardship and loneliness, found a pipe an excellent companion. The speaker concluded by saying that ladies liked it, and should smoke. Exception was taken to this remark by one lady, who asked how a man would like to return home and find his wife with a black pipe in her-mouth ? How would a young man, taking the first kiss from the lips of the girl be wa9 courting, like to detect a strong smell of smoke? Men might say they had no objection to women, smoking, but it must be women who were ho relations of their?. Mrs Conder, .Mr Wright and the Rev. F. Larkins made a few remarks, the latter quoting the' story of the two shipwrecked men, the non-smoker being devoured by cannibals, the other, saturated with tobacco, being rejected. On a show of hands being taken, it was decided that the smokers bad won the day.