DRINKING AT DANCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23281, 25 February 1939, Page 16

DRINKING AT DANCES

Sir, —1 should like to puj forward a suggestion in regard to the drinking habit at dances which is so demoralising the youth of to-day. According to the votes at the last election, the country. was overwhelmingly against prohibition 'and State control. Since this is the case, and people will have liquor, 1 think it is imperative that we try to divert this habit into as safe ana healthy channels as we can. In the United Kingdom and other parts of the British Empire special licences are issued to dance halls, so that patrons may buy their liquor to drink on the premises, at their leisure, in. sight and sound of the crowd, a band and under bright lights, which alt tend to divert the attention from the bottle and the dangers that so often follow. If special licences were granted a new form of business would be created, i.e., dance halls under proper management, and the law would be strengthened by the power of withdrawing licences to any hall where order and decent, behaviour were not maintained. Girls would not be inveigled into dark cars with the plea of "be a sport and have a spot." For the man would have his liquor and the girl could have her lemonade, whereas in the present state of affairs it is certainly not lemonade she is taught to like but is forced to take whatever her escort has happened to bring along in his car. (Mas.) H. D. Howabid.