YOUNG PEOPLE’S VICES

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2310, 1 December 1925, Page 10

YOUNG PEOPLE’S VICES

LOWERING THE MORAL TONE. CLOSER CONTROL URGED. “I have been engaged In young people’s work for a great many years, but at no time than tho present did 1 feel it more necessary for rightthinking men and Christian workers to throw their weight into this vital-ly-important work.” With these words Mr. W. J. Holdsworth prefaced some trenchant remarks following upon-his election as president of the Auckland Young Men’s Christian Association. “I never knew a time when evil was wrapped up in such an attractive manner,” he said, “when even clergymen try to make one of the greatest social vices palatable to the people, vitalising it instead of trying to wipe it out.” The finest work being undertaken in the com. infinity to.day spelled ruin unless the churches and social workers did their utmost to oppose those who would wreck the young lives in then midst. Many, outside people had drawn attention to the fact that the drinking of cocktails was prevalent among certain classes of women, and in many circles young women were indulging in cigarette smoking and drinking. It was impossible to expect the young men of the Dominion to attain their best while that sort oi tiling was going on because the young manhood would drop to the same level as th e young womanhood. Mr. Holdsworth went on to speak of an Auckland cabaret and the conditions alleged to obtain there. Certain people who had visited it, he said, had reported that the thing? that went on there were of such a nature that they must have a harmful effect on young people attending, it. Tho speaker had asked an officia' of the City Council if the corporation could not regulate or control tho place, but had been told the council did not possess the necessary power to do so. In that case, he maintained it was quite time that power to control such places should be sought by the City Council. When people were trying to create a high morn! standard for the young people, placeslike that were deliberately under, mining the work of years. When you see the present laxity in home life and Sabbath desecrationsports of all descriptions are being taken up on the Sabbath —you must see that all this is going to have a lowering moral effect on the com. munity,” tho speaker continued. He was confident that if business men realised the value of such an institution as the Y. M. C. A. they would rally round it far more enthusiastically than they were doing at present. Enormous sums were wanted to balance the Y. M. C. A. budgets In America, yet the directors of thos" institutions had told him it only took about a week to raise the money. That wa s because the business men of the United States realised tho value /Of such institutions. It was a matter ol vital concern to them that a straight living, God-fearing set or young men should grow up in their midst . Th( investment -was a sound one. The Y.M.C.A. was a living force that should have the backing of every man who wished to see clean. God-fearing- citizenship. It offered an inffucnce that was the very best for boys old and young.