UNLICENSED PLEASURES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22099, 1 November 1933, Page 5

UNLICENSED PLEASURES

TO THE EDITOR. " Sib, —In your issue of October 28 I read a letter signed by* the Rev. Mr An-drews-Baxter, concerning the “ Unlicensed Pleasures of Youth.” In all respect, I can hardly agree with the reverend gentleman’s remarks, although in some small measure there may be some truth in them. What percentage of the total number of young people attending dancea drink to excess? 1 should say without fear of contradiction less than 15 per cent. 'Why, because one or two I young couples in every hundred drink to excess, condemn the whole community of young dancers? If one or two per cent, of suicides’ is committed by severing the iugular vein with a razor, would you prohibit razors altogether? Anything or everything may be carried to excess—indeed, a great many things are, but only by a small percentage of the community. The majority believe in moderation at all costs, and so with our youth. The reverend gentleman says that whatever our work in life may be_ it certainly hinders our progress if we sit down in self-satis-fied complacency. He goes on to say that, personally, if he were an editor of an important paper he would welcome criticism, and I hope, therefore, that he will welcome this criticism of his unwarranted condemnation of dancers. Some very well-conducted dances have been held lately—dances that were quite beyond reproach, even by the strictest critic, f . At one which was held in the Town Hall recently no one could get outside without a pass-out check, issued only by the secretary, and no liquor was allowed inside. I hold no brief for drink at dances, , but as one of the younger generation ot our fair city I would be pleased to see a few of our clergy make it their duty to visit 1 our various dances to see for themselves how well our young men and women behave themselves, and how decently some of our dancea are conducted. I fail .o see why a father should {Trudge his daughter an occasional evening s pleasure because of the fear of a few irresponsible persons.-! am, etc., South Dunedin, October 31.