Dance Hall Problems

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 300, 15 September 1936, Page 11

Dance Hall Problems

Sir—We are faced to-day with _ the controvertible problem of how to eliminate liquor from our dance and social halls. We have decried this "very real evil” from pulpit and platform. In fact, we are conscious that we must root out and destroy this anti-social conduct from our public entertainments. But we are also reminded to "build and to plant” better methods of control to obviate those difficulties. It is because 1 am iu sympathy with the majority of the citizens who demand that these public abuses are ended, and secondly, because of my respect and honour for the young people, that I offer a suggestion which is feasibly constructive and concrete, to effect the required results:—

(a) By the establishment of a “Masters of Ceremony Association,” we would secure the right type of M.C. to control the public dances at local halls. At present, anyone is called upon at a moment’s notice to M.C. au important dance. He has no proper control over the dance, because he has no authority to back him up; and the rules of the hails are practically negligible. In cities and towns quite an army of official M.C.’s would be required to cope with the demand These M.C.’s would become members of the Masters of Ceremony Association, which would be known as the M.C.A. This association would, in time, provide its code of rules and regulations which would be printed, and a copy placed in every hall throughout the country. These laws would become operative universally. And all M.C.’s must comply with the association’s rules and principles in discharging their duties in public halls. We know that most of the liquor at dances is to he located in cars outside the halls, but it is cleat that once there is the proper control within the hall-—and every hail bound by the same law—no one would sit in a car all night even though there was plenty of "free beer” to drown the sorrow of non-admission to the hall. A person may enter one hall under the influence of drink. But the M.C. actuated by the rules of the M.C.A. must eject that person; and it is certain that no other hall would admit him. The M.C.A. would need to impose restrictions upon hall committees to prevent them supplying spirituous liquor for public functions, either for -‘friends'" or for sale.

(b) Another important addition to the personnel of each hall committee is a lady competent to take charge of the ladies’ cloakroom. As many of the younger women attend dances unebaperoned. there ought to be a responsible person to protect their interests. It is also

feared that a tot of drinking goes on in the cloakroom, aud only a lady appointed as an official of the hall could check the continuation of this practice. Under normal conditions, no one would leave the hall until she were going home. A person who did just “slip out” of the hall when it was ascertained she had gone to join a cocktail party, must be asked to remain outside the hall with her associates. It might appear that such an oflicer would create unpleasant feelings among people who had come to the dance to enjoy themselves. But only those who deliberately set themselves to defy the regulations of the hall under the M.C.A. conditions would be made to feel uncomfortable. They might even have to leave the hall. The lady in charge must become a member of the association. This would secure her position of trust and honour: and prevent her from acting in a biased way toward any individual. Like the M.C. she would perform duties explicitly laid down by the M.C.A. • The scheme can be expanded; also amended. But when once its principles are adopted, then the necessary adjustments can be made. Finally, we are not concerned to enforce prohibition, but we insist that there shall be no intoxi; eating liquor either inside or outside of social halls during the r.’rgress of an” public entertainments. —I am, etc., J D. W. RAINE, L.Th. Douglas, Taranaki East, Sept. 12.