WOMEN WHO SMOKE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1082, 22 March 1911, Page 5

WOMEN WHO SMOKE.

AND GAMBLE AT BRIDGE. (Sγ Mlegrfph.—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, March 21. In an address to , the Presbyterian Church Association to-night Mr. H. G. Ell, M.P., Referred to the gambling that was, he said, at present indulged in by women in this country at bridge parties. He had it on the authority of a lady, not in Christchurch, who occupied a good position in life, and who moved in the best society circles,- that.it had not been safe for her to make afternoon calls for years. She could walk into many friends* ' houses, and with the exception of half a dozen, find ladies playing bridge and smoking. He also had it on the authority of a leading dentist that the greater part of his business.; was the whitening of women's teeth blackened through smoking, no doubt when playing bridge. He (Mr. Ell) knew he laid himself open to ridicule in making the allegations he had, but he believed it his duty to publicly draw attention to the evil that undoubtsdly existed. One evening recently a gentleman friend of- his going homo in a tram car had met a lady friend, and asksd her why she looked so worried, and she had retorted, "And so would you if you had lost your .month's allowance playing bridge." A gentleman in a high position in life in New Zealand had told him that lady friends of his were wont to' assemble of a forenoon, pull down the blinds of the house, switch on the electric light, and gamble at bridgo all the morning. Were lie (Mr. Ell) not absolutely sure of his facts he would not tell them". He had heard statements in re- , v gard to Christchurch, but instances in other places served to emphasise, the point just as well, and it was not good stirring up bad blood here. : '. ; —