RECREATION FOR YOUNG MEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 10, 26 September 1879, Page 3

RECREATION FOR YOUNG MEN.

TO THE EDITOR 0* THE MANAWATU HKUAI D. Sib — Now.ftiat the turmoil and excitement of the election are over, and thinge have settled injjp their usual groove, I should like to direct attention to a matter which incidentally cropped up during Mr John ston'B speech at the Public Hall., Wheu speaking on the question of Local Option with regard to the sale, of liquor, he ex. pressed himself, as being of opinion that the best means of preventing drunkenness was to offer counter attractions to the hotels, ii the shape of bafes or reading rooms,, where for a small sum, people could spend' profit* ably the time they now; devote to the ban and billiard rooms ; and that the increase oi drunkenness was not so much to be won' dered at, taking into consideration the fact that] the majority of the working olasi (especially in small towns), had in realitj nowhere else than the hotel to spend .tbeii evenings in. In making these remarks, Mi Johnston, of course., spoke of the Colon) ggn^altyj'b'at'if'h'e had wished to illustruti his subject, he Could not have found abette: example than Fozlpn^ There arei I suppose at the verjf : lowest computation, about o< young, ,o_r ; %' ' wilj sayy unmarried, men a presient%orkihg in and about the town,, foi thei tnbst part ieither' *• baeheldrisirig"' b ; bparding at hotels. A large • dumber o 1 them cease work at 5 o'clock, and all, a the) outside at 7. Now, where are- ihoji mejfcto spend their ewninrfs ? There areli few, perhaps, who can and do content them selves by tjoeir " am fireside," bb the sayinj isjjbut the majority like. to go to some plac where ,they can meet others of their claw m / and pass thY evening in recreation, eonver 1 satiou, &o. JEor .want of a better, they wil 5 go to the .putyioi .house,: thus contracting liabils which, once firmly fixed, it is atmoa impossible , to, eradicate. Cannot this bi a^tesedf T.. think, Sir, that the people o jtoxtop cpvild .with: very slight trouble do great jfcuj towards remedying this state o things. In the first place, they hav« aEelid ing Boom, and books sufficient . to form th - nndeua of a-gofldJibrarar ; and with' ft littl 'eifertion, tnetFing could be put in workin, older 'in ttvery "few weeks. Our to M J has expresffcd Ksiwillingness to contribfat to anything of the sort, an^d' I am sure a our leading /nfen would assist, both wit time and moftey, and if Jthe thing were one i ■ * ■

'. put on a sound basis, it would be selfsup y porting. Only a fow duyrago, I.reart witl pleasure an account in your colunns of tht 1 .success of the Literary Society and R adin^ 0 Room in Palraerston, and,l <certainiy iail t U s see why a similar one should not succeed-in Foxt-in. " s Trusting that the matter will receive puby lie attention ; and apologising for trespassing so far on your valuable space, I am, &c, Cms. r Foxton, September 24, 1879. ' a [We think our correspondent has overesti--1 mated the number who spend their evenings at the hotels. With the main portion of .. his letter we heartily agree. Bnt whilst r the Ree ding Room would be an undoubted h benefit, it would' reach, only a few. Young 8 men want recreation. How can this be y combined with instruction ? Mr Johnston's s idea, was to have saloons where billiardc and fc other games could be played, and where c temperance refreshments oould be obtained. 5 Such an institution might be opened and 8 conducted by a company. \Ve understood s Mr Johnston to, imply that if a company B were started ; with that object he would con--8 tribute, and would not think the money lost, a even if no profits were returned. We should x be glad to see the Athenreum regularly opened^ and , would gladly.a.ssist to make it I a success,— Ed. M. Herald.]