JUVENILE SMOKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9719, 15 January 1895, Page 4

JUVENILE SMOKING.

The letter by Mr, Eugster on the habit of smoking indulged in by boys, and indeed mere children, has attracted considerable attention from correspondents. We do not wonder at this, because the habit has increased, is increasing, and, as we think, ought to be diminished. It is not merely that smoking has become more extended amongst boys, but it is going downwards in respect to age, till it would almost seem as if we would soon see (as we do with Maoris sometimes) children in their mothers' arms puffing a pipe or cigarette. Whatever may be the opinion of smoking as indulged in by grown np people— whether the admittedly injurious effects may be set off by considerations of the soothing effect of the habit— there can be no doubt of the evil effects upon growing boys whose systems are unformed and susceptible in every region. Fortunately, our women have not yet taken to smoking to any appreciable extent, whatever the New Woman may do by-and-by. But there can be no question that" the habit of smoking by young boys must be very injurious to the race. Throughout the correspondence, whenever a remedy has been spoken of, "the State" is always appealed to. In yesterday's paper, Mr. W. J. Munro reters ; to the fact that during last session a question was put in the House on the subject, whether the Government proposed to bring in a Bill to render smoking Penal for all under a certain age. The remier, however, did not pledge himself to do this, but no doubt it would be done if there were sufficient pressure of public opinion. Mr. Munro says that much good could be done by such organisations as anti-cigarette leagues, by the distribution of medical leaflets on the subject, and by concerted action to bring about Parliamentary legislation, which is certainly necessary." Perhaps it is not surprising that in this age,; when the State is to do everything, and when all other machinery is discredited as useless, that no one should have even mentioned

what is the natural, the legitimate, and the proper means of putting a stop to a mischievous and ruinous practice which is growing up amongst children, and that is the authority of the parent. One would have thought that that would have been the first power appealed to, but that we are all drunk with the idea that "the State," which is the party in power, and which at present is embodied in Mr. Reeves, is omnipotent. Is parental authority entirely dead 1 It would almost seem so, judging by what we see any day at the Police Court. But if a new law is passed to tine and imprison boys under, say, fifteen, who are seen with a pipe or a cigarette in their possession, we shall have, at the Police Court, some pitiable spectacles. It must be remembered that there is a great evil in multiplying crimes. This is a terrible drawback to State interference with anything, which is scarcely ever thought of. We are quite sure that the whole machinery of these Labour Acts, with the prosecutions, the inspectors, the espionage, the evasions, and the perjurv they give rise to, are enormously injurious to the moral condition of the community. And if boys of eight or nine years of age werebrought up frequently and sentenced to imprisonment for indulging in a furtive cigarette, we should have more mischief done to the community than is caused by juvenile smoking, great as we believe that to be. The remedy for indulging in the habit should be a real downright good thrashing by the culprit's father. Nature has set up over a home a father and a mother. No inspectors that the Government could appoint can detect delinquencies as parents can, and they can discharge their duty without odious espionage, which a Government inspector cannot do. No habit which a young boy can pursue is more debilitating and enfeebling to mind and body than smoking, but we appeal for the cheeking of it, not to the State, but to parental authority.