BARBARIANS AT THE BEACH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15238, 27 February 1913, Page 4

BARBARIANS AT THE BEACH.

Sir.— When I wis a laddie lang sy~j at' . the schnle," I was set to the task of learn-, ' ing Latin roots, and among them was: : " Civia, a citizen; civiliscd.'"* Our teacher explained that _ that was 'because the * in-• tarts of cities were more intelligent, : cultured, and refined than the dwellers'in, . the country. Perhaps that was once the case, but how are the mighty fallen? It is at present my lot to live' at a fashionable - seaside resort, and thousands of citizens-o throng the beach and parade the sands; • they also break fences, pull cultivated -n flowers, steal fruit, roB beehives, shy sticks at cats, sometimes manage to lame ducks. -;] annoy cattle and horses, leave gates open, I' litter the paths with broken fettles, s,nd I act the barbarian generally; and they count this fun, as only country bumpkins live 5. out here. Their language, too, is low/ slang, a further type of their easily-read % biography. As there are no policemen, they act out their rude nature. Those who 5 do these things are not the poor and needy,® nor even the young; ladies; too, join in- * the 'barbarity and dishonesty. We all knowwhat would happen if a country bumpkin ; were to act so m town, but he cover evon-1* dreams of so disgracing himself. Of course,S the great majority of seaside visitors do-*! not conduct themselves, go; but are . most >" upright and proper; still, the "devil's leaven"o; is large enough to taint the batch. We hear a good deal about the submerged tenth in the slums,- but there is another submerged tenth who live in gcod houses and flaunt • about in "gay clothing, yet who, owing to their conceit, are even more hopeless. -•>'*)

Plundered Bcktkin.