DEFENCE OF STUDENTS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 110, 10 May 1923, Page 5

DEFENCE OF STUDENTS

TO TH> IDITO*. Sir,—May I entrench on your valuable spaoe to say a word in defence of students, in reply to the remarks of "Clean Sport," in your issue of the Bth inst? I agree, it certainly seems that university students the world over display a common, tendency to disregard the conventionalities of life with a gusto that is most alarming to the dear old stodgily respectable people, for whom artificialities constitute the ultimate reality. What, according to "Clean Sport." is the sum of their offending, in Wellington ? Your correspondent declares that they even venture in kia» young Indies in the public street. How disturbing ! How devastating to the morals of the twentieth century! Not content with attacking the social order per media of the Debating Club, students must perforce dregs themßelves in gay and totally unbefitting costumes of many colours, and invading the thoroughfares of the Capital City directly attack current ideas of morality by implanting a kiss on the ..lips oi any pretty maiden that happens ajong! Now, the period of youth is one wh«n we all feel the desire to "remodel this •orry scheme of things," but it is not 'or me to discuss the ethics of kissing; suffice it to say that' after careful consideration of the question in all its aspects, although perhaps without th» benefit of experimental work, I fear that I cannot share the belief of your correspondent that the social order will be disrupted by an occasional disregard of the restrictions which old men in their wisdom place upon the business of kissing. Nevertheless, I still find that I have much in common with "Clean Sport." It is perfectly true that were some poor unfortunate ordinary individual in different circumstances to perform the aam» acts he _ would probably receive a severe castigation from Magistrate Hunt. 1 fear that had your correspondent been a passenger on the train conveying the University students from the inter-Uni-versity tournament in Dunedin at Easter, he would have been violently shocked, and he would . most certainly have said a hearty amen to the muttered remarks of the guard at Ashburton, who declared gruffly, albeit fervently, to a fellow-sufferer: "If it had been anyone else than these darned University students they'd have been run in an hour ago." Well, well, old men muet moralise, and we would not hav e it otherwise for. worlds, but youth will smile.—l am, etc., UNDERGRADUATE 9th May.