A PROTEST.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8083, 22 September 1894, Page 3

A PROTEST.

TO TIIK EDITOJI. Slit,— l desire to enter, through your columns, an earnest protest against Miss Loila Adair's oxhibition to-day. (Such spectacles uro uttorly unjustifiable. They sorvo no object, unattained or othorwiso unattainable, scientific or practically useful. If they did both, it would bo questionable how often lifo might wantonly bo jeopardized to these ends. As it is thoy are tho serious (witness tho repeated parachute fatalities) hazarding of lifo and limb to give tho public a sensational entertainment. To witness them, therefore, is an inhumano and debasing proceeding. Miss Adair'a nerve and skill are of course to bo admired, but that she is to bo admired for putting these, at tho daily risk of her lifo, to tho uso of ministoring to a morbid and inhumano sensationalism, and thus degrading public sentiment, 1 deny. The applause sho may got for her venture I cannot but think is far from being an unmixed appreciation of her courago or her ability ; its main inspiration is tho pleasant excitement caused by tho possibility th.it a precious lifo in a momont may be extinguished or wrecked ! For adequate ends wo should eneourago solf-sacnh'co unto imminont risk of limb or lifo, but hero tho ends are totally and shamefully inadequate, and encourago* mont, in my opinion, sin. — Your«, etc., | fItANK Sl'/J'II-SmITII.