BREEDING GAMBLERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11561, 9 January 1913, Page 5

BREEDING GAMBLERS.

(Received Thursday, at 9.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Thursday. Continuing his address before the Science Congress, Mr Adamson said that if it Avere true that the Australians Avere a gambling people, one must remember that this was a land of flood aud Ilamo. It Avas, therefore, aud must be a breeder of gamblers, or, to be more polite, of men who willingly took risks. Their readiness and resource Avere shoAvn by the fact that Australians Avho wandered to make a liA'ing abroad invariably succeeded, thanks to the merciful Australian theoory that no work could degrade men. SCALP-HUNTING GIRLS. The average Australian boy was lacking in chivalrous respect for girls of his oAvn age, nor Avas the boy Avholly to blame for that. There had taken place a gradual, even a rapid, breaking doAvn of old formalities governing the intercourse of the sexes. The life of the camp and the beaches Avas only symptomatic of a change that had been going on in the .social system. Whichever sex might be at fault, in later years, he Avould say Avithout fear of effective contradiction that in adolescence it was almost ahvays the- girl Avho commenced casual acquaintanceships made in public places,—if not actually accosting the boy, then by Avhat might be mildly termed 'the look of encouragement. ' Nothing avus more socially amazing than the way in Avhich parents of respectable positions, alloAved their daughters to roam about, the streets unchecked, adding scalps to their belts in uuwholesome rivalry, seeing AA-ho could pick up the greatest number of chance acquaintances. Then followed correspondence, almost invariably started by the girl. Mr Adamson asked Avhether there Avas no combination possible to effect a reform Avhich would make girls value themselves at their true Avorth, and so recover the lost respect of boyhood and take their rightful place. Dr Wilson said he did not believe Avhat Mr Adamson had said regarding the boy and girl question. Dr Mary Booth said there Avas a very urgent need for the education of girls being entrusted to Avomen teachers, Avho could understand girls and protect them front dangers and mistakes.