PLAIN SPEAKING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XIX, 7 November 1896, Page 10

PLAIN SPEAKING.

NOTE.—This column is open to all, and the Editor is in no way responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

A‘ SCIENTIFIC woman ’ thus exhorts lady cyclists : ‘ I do hope that the women of New Zealand, old and young, who are at present great votaries of the wheel, or who are preparing to become such at the earliest possible moment will pause for a minute and listen to a few words on the evil effects of cycling. I will not give my own opinion on the subject, though I may say I had come to the same conclusion as the eminent writer whose dictum on this important point I should like to bring before the readers of the New Zealand Graphic. She says : “ I anticipate quite an inundation of letters from my own sex, protesting against my verdict, when they read that I strongly—and with full conviction that I am right—advise all parents and guardians to forbid their daughters to cycle. It has required a huge amount of courage to write this paragraph, for public opinion (with a few exceptions), is in favour of girls cycling. I say ‘ with few exceptions ’ advisedly; for as yet the evil results from cycling are not fully understood ; and I regret that I cannot in this column explain the true nature of the internal injuries from which women will suffer in the future who, as girls, have been weak enough to follow a pastime which was only intended for men and boys. Pray don’t think that prudish motives have induced me to write in such a strain—far from it. As a girl I used to cricket, and run races with my brothers ; take long tramps, and join in all their reasonable boyish sports, and am none the worse for it now at middle-age. But cycling is a very different thing. Not only is it exhausting to the action of the heart and lungs (as anyone can judge who has heard the spasmodic gasps as the cyclist dashes past), but the internal distortion which inevitably ensues after such violent and unnatural exertion is sufficient to cause dangerous results in the future—at a time when even the most robust woman needs all her strength and soundness of constitution. I need not say more upon the subject, but feel confident that no mother or father will sanction for their daughters a pastime which can only result in pain and misery in after life. Another objectionable feature in cycling for ladies and girls is that it tends greatly to spoil the hands, enlarging the joints, and making the palm of the hand as unpleasantly hard as that of a labourer. Cyclists’ gloves will have to be made a size or two larger in the future.’

‘ May I again trespass on your valuable space,’ a former correspondent, ‘Waitemata,’ asks, ‘in order to express my strong approbation of the proposed act of the committees of the Auckland Sunday-school Industrial Exhibition ? They most generously say that they propose to devote the money raised by the Exhibition towards increasing the comforts of the poor children in the Hospital ? I sincerely trust the money will all be placed in a Fund for the purpose of building a separate cottage home for our poor little sufferers in the large Hospital, and let the children be encouraged to save up their pence and use their brains and hands for the grand purpose of adding to this Fund. It would very soon grow large, and they might have the intense satisfaction of pointing to a comfortable cottage hospital as very largely the results of their own labours. Very little can be done to the present small ward, and it would be far better not to waste any of the money on temporary comforts. Children are very good collectors, and might be supplied with cards to collect money for this good work. That persevering and interested in the Hospital is amply shown by the first-rate Graphic Cousins’ Cot provided and maintained at the Hospital by the little writers to the Children’s Page in this paper. I have already written to you at some length on this subject (Graphic October 3rd) and you have kindly printed my letter. Let me now beg the Auckland public to warmly take up this matter and largely patronise an Exhibition which is to do so much good. May I suggest that the Graphic Cousins’ Cot be shown at the Exhibition ?’