A Charge Against the Y.M.C.A.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6217, 13 May 1887, Page 3

A Charge Against the V.M.C.A.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— lt is time something wss done (O prevent the disgraceful orgies almost nightly carried on in the V.vi.C.A. rooms by the hoodlums and larrikins who congregate there. Presumably theseyouths are there for the purpose of improving their minds and purifying their mor»ls,aod I am of opinion that those who have induced them to assemble are mainly responsible for the miEConduct If thete is no proper supervision and instruction ten thousand times better the place should be olosed, rather than have it a rendezvous for all. and sundry, where the manners and morals of the better class of boys are being rapidly contaminated, Verily, the old adage applies in this case, " A little leaven, leavens the whole lump," and the leaven is of the worst. Passers-by the Y.M.CA. Rooms of late have wondered what ii the meaning of the yells, rowe, shouting, tumbling', etc., going on upstairs, whioh certainly wonld not be tolerated by any other Association of less pretentious moral proolivities, A gentleman passing last evening about 9 a o'aiock, hearing some very unusual noises, a« he thought, proceeding from the establishment above named, went upstairs and saw one of the gentlemen who has voluntarily undertaken the duty of attending occasionally, fairly beset by the young scoundrels. They had knooked him down and were jumping and howling round him like • lot of young fiend;. To my personal knowledge the language used in the street by these boys when leaving the establishment is sometimes fearful. Might I suggest an occasional visit from a gentleman in blue,— l am, &c,

The Auckland Star says:— lt is reported that Barry, the prospector, has struck pay* able gold on one of the tributaries of the Waogftnui River, near Tohua.

A football match betweenthe "North le—l^Td and the World " will be played tomorrow after tho representatives of Law and Banking have tried conclusions, Both matohes are exciting a considerable amount of interest among football players*

A Press telegram states that the election of » member for the Northern Maori district In the room of Ihska To Tai (Bakueue) has resulted in the return of Sydney T»iwhtnga by a liyrge majority, Return j from two districts have yet to come in, but it Is believed that they will not materially aSect the remit.

Hudson, the defeated wrestler in the late contest at H»wer», is now in town. He attributes his defeat to the faot that his right Knee-cap, which troubled him at tho Caledonian sports here, was again out of order, oaueing him to do most of bia nork with his left leg. He has no intention of allowing Pearce to hold his laurels undisturbed, and a challenge is likely to be publioly made within a short period. The Earl of Aberdeen, who is now on a visit to Wanganui, is the seventh earl of the kame name, the title dating from 1682. He wib born in 1847, and succeeded to the title in 1870. He was appointed H.M, High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1881, a position in which ha won the esteem of all >vith whom he came in contact. The position he filled as Viceroy of Ireland from Februtry to July 1886 has made his name known to thonsands of Ireland's welWwishers, and from the manner in which be carried out the duties pertaining to the offioe ho endeared himsojf to the Irish people. His Lordthip does not appear to be in the best of health, and no doubt has broken the joarney here to lighten the strain that continual travelling imposes. He will leave for Wellington either by the morning or midday 'train tomorrow. ' The Countess does not accompany him on this portion of his trip.

For continuation of Readina Matter tea fourth page