EXPLOITING THE CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 265, 1 August 1908, Page 11

EXPLOITING THE CHILDREN.

EXCITEMENT AND LATE HOURS. For a long time past little Wellington children liavo been overworked, without thought- and without pity. At concerts, bazaars, tabloaux, and other spectacular entertainments, tho children have often taken tho heaviest share; and tho most ]-opular part of tho programme. Tho wise mother would not, if she could help it, take young children to any place of entertainment at night moro than onco in a week, and to let thorn not only attend, but tako part in iho programme night after night must have a very bad effect on the children physically. The mental elrect upon n> child of being allowed to dress up and act in public is also an aspect which is often overlooked. A young girl gives her help very willingly to tho charity she is called upon to aid, and her performance is probably tho prettiest part of tho entertainment. Sho is praised and flattered, and in all sincerity. Tho poor child cannot possibly help being- moro than a little puffed up by the excitement and the praise, and though once in a very long while tho oxpericnce might not hurt her, in Wellington sho is often asked to go through the same performance over and over again in tho course of a season. It is not only tho thoughtloss who applaud her as she dances, for it is fascinating to watcJi tho graceful rhymic movements of a child, the swift skimming over tho floor, tho pretty pirouetting, and

the littlo dancing feet, and oven whon one thoroughly disapproves oao oaunot choose but admire. '

■ Financially tho children's help is of the greatest service. Their parents, relations and friends, all ( come to look on, and glow with pardonable pride in thpir performance, and',where the children are, there is sure to be a crowd. But should tho grown-ups so exploit tho children? Is it not better toleavo their childhood undisturbed by more set work than their oducation domands, and undisturbed by the' bubbles of excitement and tho artificial ideas that como with their entry into the commercial charity world. That tho child itself probably enjoys its performance, and- feels no Iwvdslu,, does not make it any loss injurious. Indeed ■one of tho worst features is that so many of tbe children conie to' love and cravo for the excitement, and let their minds become absorbed in what is no child's play. , I speak of dancing chicfly, because it is for fancy dances that tho children are. in most demand, but there are plenty, of other ways in which thoy are called upon to entertain tho public, and though tho ones that require most training are, perhaps, tho worst all of them that demand for tlio child late hours, over-excitomcnt, an'd public "applause are just as bad as they can bo. '

A handsome toilette for the theatre, ia citron-coloured mausselwio de soie, with bands or copper tissue and yellow roses at foot. Largo clusters of roses at left side of belt.