OF INTEREST TO WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1927, Page 18

OF INTEREST TO WOMEN

Another of the curiosities of the { 'cablegram system appeared the other day when the exciting news of the death ■of a shop-girl in London, after an ,evening's dancing, was thought worth while sending over the Empire. Apparently £he point of interest was that ■the poor young creature had been dancing and died, probably from some organic weakness, which may, or may not, have been accentuated by the dance, lmt more likely from tfce fact that in her life she would have to stand for many hours a day. That was not mentioned as a cause; nor was the dancing .directly blamed, but the usual thing followed, and a cry arose against dancing, it being assumed that the death -\va3 directly caused by the fact of the •girl having spent an evening in the ordinary exercise of the dance. It is a ■curious thing that those who are so Teady to call out against dancing do not realise that in itself it is a most "healthy exercise—next, perhaps, in ;value to walking, which has enthusiastic advocates in all parts of the world, 'all ages, and all classes. The poise ;and grace given by the exercise of dancing is inimitable, and cannot be supplied in any other way than by the exercise itself. The joie de vivre of -the young ones who dance is hard to equal, and a defender of the thing finds .that while he can endure a depressed and gloomy old man or woman, he finds ■the spectacle of despondent young ones quite unendurable. Again, there are .those who think that the universality ■of dancing, among people of all ages, is a sign of decadence, but it is far .more likely to be a sign of vitality and extension of the time of youth. .Particularly in country places at the .infrequent dances the quite elderly dancers are seen, "father and mother," slowly revolving in the waltz or some t other older-fashioned dance; while in the towns the simple jazz steps are within compass of many elderly people, who, of being weary and bored "wall-flowers," or haunting the refresh-ment-room, as of yore, are alert ana happy, and as sorry as the youngest ■when the evening comes to an end. This is surely the best way to look at the matter, and not to gloomily point out that the death of a young girl came at the end of an evening's dane;ing, when hundreds of thousands dance their way happily to a good old age. 'The fact that, a portion of humanity .is so weak or nasty-minded as to make their dancing offensive (which is undoubtedly the case) or that the amusement is at night, in hot rooms, or again /that some take too much strong liquor at dances, does not affect the main .contention that dancing is, in itself, a ( healthy thing, good for the people in .general. The decadent or evil person .will be the same everywhere, and the 'same can be said of the person who over-indulges in drink. It is possible that the clean and happy have a good .-and deterrent effect on the others. .Those who look on a dance soon notice .that "like attracts like." The de■cent girls and men sort up together, ;and the others likewise. In no place .better than an a ballroom can character :be judged keenly and correctly. The .girls and the men can look round and judge for themselves as to the charae•teristics of their associates —most of 'them are quite capable of doing so. It ;is a pity that all wholesome-minded ■and decent people do not make an -effort to patronise dances, and specially those places where exception might ■be taken, bringing _into them a decent atmosphere, which will in timo drive out what is evil. There is nothing like '"fresh air" to kill disease.

A writer- raises the question, "Is crime illness?" and appears to think that the question is a new one, or the idea at least. But it is a good many .years ago now that in the clever book, ;"Erewhon," tho treatment of invalids :and criminals was reversed to the usual .custom which has obtained in the world ,for centuries. The people who became ■ill were severely questioned as to how ■ they had come into ill-health; whether .it was not their own fault on account 'of their neglect of ordinary commonsense precaution, or the abrogation of .the well-known laws of Nature. If it ; was found that they were in fault they ;were taken into detention and treated -for their illness, but with punishment .added: when it was possible and reasonable. On the other hand tho criminals twere examined from the other point of •view. How had they become criminals? ■Was their mental balance properly .adjusted; and what causes had there .been: environment, family history, and 'treatment by the world at large, all .being considered. Then the person • was treated from the medical point of • view, it being considered that mental ; illness was not the fault of tho iudi--vidual in the same way that bodily £11----,-ness might be. The detention was not more than that of a hospital, and the •patient was encouraged to be his or her best, and to forsake all unworthy -ideas and actions, reason being brought to bear on all the circumstances and fully explained. There is a great deal ■of thought on these lines nowadays, 'and it is difficult to say what the •future will bring in the way of treat--ment for criminals, while there is already a vast change from that of a hundred years ago.

The question of speed trials was 'brought before the executive of the South Island Motor Union by the 'Southland Motor Association. It was that the Government should again be approached and asked either .to enforce the existing legislation or : to introduce legislation which would put .a stop to such speed trials as had 'iaken place in New Zealand during recent months. It comes as news to most women that it is a question of '' again .approaching the Government on this ■ serious matter, for the matter has been : discussed among women's societies ( more than once. On the Maroubra .track in Sydney no fewer than five lives -have been sacrificed, while from other .parts of the world come reports of .deaths from the craze for speed, and -specially considering that these lives ' are usually of men in the prime of life ; and fitness, it seems appalling that they ■should be hurled from one world-to the : other with tragic haste, without some .immensely important and reasonable : cause. Women look upon these trials -of speed in much the same light as ,'they do tl*e expeditions to the poles, .not seeing any tangible or sufficiently valuable result for the sacrifice of splendid lives, or good health, and large sums of money. The feeling of most women about speed trials may be summed up in the question asked by a woman of a young relative when he was entering on one of them after serious remonstrance from all his family, ,'' Oh, well, what sort of flowers do you j prefer in a wreath?" Apart from the . risk of death, there is the question of . nerves and heart-strain, and in all seri- , ousness the question is asked of those ; who promote these "shows": "Are ' they worth while?"

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