DRINK AT DANCES.

Otaki Mail, 27 August 1930, Page 1

DRINK AT DANCES.

HOODLUMS OP THE SMART SET. SOCIAL CANKER IN DUNEDIN. '/Making whoopee," they call it in America. And "making whoopee" some of the sedulous apes of Dunedin's so-called smart set are content to call it. Thus the Dunedin Star in a stinging article. It proceeds:— The "it" in this kind is the empty * —dangerously , empty —kind of merriment organised by young people of the city as a means of relieving the boredom of modern dancing. i Without the artificial exhilaration produced, by alcoholic refreshment it is probably a matter of difficulty to suffer for more than an hour or so at a time under the ncgroidal rhythm of the foxtrot and its slight variations, but, nevertheless, no person with an outlook on life that is not wholly self-centred can falter in his condemnation of drinking at dances. In Dunedin the practice is being carried on to such an extent that it is almost impossible for any young lady to dance regularly Throughout a season and not yield to the übiquitous urging: "Have a spot; it will buck you up." Always she is exposed to the insidious influence of the hoodlum in evening dress—the hip-pocket liquor carrier, whose air of respect for the fair sexis too often a veneer that conceals nn ill-favoured motive. It would be unfair to make assertions of this nature so sweeping as to involve every young man who attends dances. But it cannot be denied that ballroom behaviour in Duuedin is so loose that parents of girls—girls who in all innocence wish to do a little soeial fluttering—would be well advised to niaktf far-reaching inquiries before they allow their progeny to wander from the family hearth.

Blame for the existing state of affairs is not altogether attributable to men. There are many young women who are only too willing t.o meet spurious masculine gallantry half way. Their earnest wish is that their male friends shall look upon then) as "good sports." If they only realised how recklessly their names are bandied about in' the" coarse gossip of these very "friends" they would no doubt be perfectly willing to curl up in the comparative oblivion which used to be the lot of, a wallflower. As a rule, however, it is the men who take the initiative, and the quantity o) liquor which is carried to the dance of to-day is amazing. There are young fellows who seem to attend functions solely with the idea of drinking themselves into a state of insensibility, and it is no uncommon thing to see "bodies" well piekled in alcohol, borne from u dance hall and laid reverently—-when reverence is just a little , too late—in an annexe or taxi.

It would be possible to quote many instances of lax ballroom behaviour, but probably none would so faithfully illustrate the subject matter of this article as a very recent ball. At this function there were many citizens of undoubted social ami moral integrity, and to them the unbalanced clowning of some of the younger fry must have been most embarrassing, j], nil fairness to the organisers, it'must be stated that those 'responsible for the foolery wore not really their people; . also, that a great deal of the objectionable behaviour taok place .beyond the confines controlled by those responsible for the function.

Occupiers of several houses in Moray place have a sorry tale ,1o |<-ll—the tale of a night that was made hideous !>-.-' the unbridled street hooliganism per- 1 petrated by bored/ dancer- of both sexes. What sounded remarkably like an athletic sports meeting was* held, but, needless to add, no genuine sportsmen were taking part. It is said that from as. early as 11.30 p.m. the disturbance went on until after I a.m. Now and again the shrieking inanitv of it all was punctuated by the crash of an empty bottle as it was thrown into the gutter. Residents strongly suspect an external "plant" kept thing.- waing, but probably !i<uioi-. whs' stored in the motor ear*,

The pity of it is that while the law itself seems unable to interfere, save in a case of drownright brawling, it also prevents the manlier type of young fellow from dealing drastically and t..fl"c(tively with the -contemptible element. It is a fact that the most dangerous conduct of all lias its origin in places frequented by those who have had every . educational opportunity to toko positions in the world as leaders .but ><> deliberately are these persons abusing their good fortune that one must conclude that their lack of breeding exerts an influence over them" too powerful i<i remain hidden for long nuder the covering*'of schooling; " :

f p put the inatter in blunt and colloquial "parlance, the -social upstarts of Dunedin are pretty numerous and pretty rotten. If the same conditions prevail in other towns of the Dominion, the Government will seriously have to consider amending the constitution of the law in such a way as to give the Police Department a chance to take a hand in the education of the country's younjr.