SMOKING ON DANCE FLOOR

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 6

SMOKING ON DANCE FLOOR

A Risk, and Not Etiquette

COMMON HABIT CONDEMNED The practice of dancers carrying lighted cigarettes in their fingers while on the floor is fairly common these days. Reference to this habit was made, at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board this week, when it was pointed out that there was serious danger of filmy dresses taking lire at dances.

The custodian of the Wellington Town Hall, Mr. E. Kemsley, who was risked yesterday for his opinion, agreed that dancing'with lighted cigarettes in the hands held an element of danger. "If I notice anybody smoking . at Town Hull functions 'while ■ they are dancing I always request the master of ceremonies to stop those concerned,” said Mr. Kemsley. "It is very dangerous, in my opinion, particularly when the floor is full of couples. ■ Of-course, smoking in the corridors IS reasonably safe, and smokers there are not interfered with. I use my discretion before taking action in any event. Since the fire during the competitions the other day smoking' has been stopped behind the stage or near ,it, although’hs' far as I can find out the outbreak was not caused by matches dr cigarettes, or by au electrical fault.. It.wa? a mystery fire.” The custodian added that what he knew of dances in licensed halls and cabarets smoking during actual dancing was fairly common, but the practice tyas stopped as far as possible by those in charge of the dances, the risk being obvious. But it was difficult to control. As far as he was aware there were no writfen regulations of the City Council against the practice. At the larger public functions and at picture houses the firemen. were very watchful to check careless people.

A Wellington teacher of ballroom dancing frowned severely oil the practice not only, because of the fire danger, but also because dancing while' smoking was not done in the best circles. “There is a dance number called, ‘l’m Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’—everyone knows' it,” she said, “and a more modern version should be ‘l’m Dancing with a Cigarette in my Hands.' It is an objectionable practice and it ilouts etiquette. 1. Some of our younger people don’t seem to realise that. I think that if this were understood the habit would stop overnight. People don’t like to think that they are doing things that are ‘not done.’ ”