ENTERTAINMENT S ABUSED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 214, 11 December 1880, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENT S ABUSED.

To THE EDITOR. Sir,— lf you will give me a small space in your excellent journal, 1 will make a few remarks, by way of checking what I -consider a growing'evil in connection with entertainments. Entertainments, if properly conducted, would be a great benefit as well as amusement, especially in outlying districts, where young people especially not having access to good libraries' or the opportunity of mixing with good society, as is the case in towns and more thickly populated, districts, would grqw mopish without something to entertain them.,' But, like most other good things, these entertainments are in danger of going into extremes.and becoming promoters of evil instead of good. Now, I think all who' are discreet,, and lovers of order, will agree with me that when these entertainments are kept on through the whole of the night until break of day, and when young girls have been dancing perhaps six hours on a stretch, and naturally become so heated ami the whole system under great excitement, it is very dangerous for them to go out into thecoldair, and perhaps without any additional clothing to what they had on. when dancing. Many' a blooming healthy girl has taken cold under such circumstances, and consumption and death have been the result. From two to three hours is quite long enough for such laborious exercise, and when the clock strikes twelve it is quite time for all parties to go home. It is no ; wonder, children grieve their parents and servants lose their situations when they reniain at such places until morning, and then go home lit for nothing bub sleep all the day, and. .perhaps the doctor’s attention the next day. But sir, in the district from which I am writing, not only the young go to those extremities, but married ladies with three ’or four children. Not long since I attended all entertainment in connection with a day school, where all the children in the district assembled, with most of the inhabitants ; and after being supplied bountifully with the good things of this life, such as tea, cake, &c., all of the children were presented with handsome presents consisting of books and toys of all descriptions, and all enjoyed themselves, I have no doubt, with the various games that were carried oh until nearly dark. At dusk all repaired to the schoolroom, to witness some very pleasing and interesting scenes from the magic lantern, which exhibition was brought to a close about ten o’clock. That hour \vas time for all children to be in bed. But when; it was announced that, a dance would take place, most of tlie young folks prepared the rooin and tfaeihselves Tor action, and

if they- had kept it on for two hours after all the former sports, and then dispersed and gone home in something like reason - able time, I for one should not complain. But when married ladies will drop their children down iti some corner and join the young folk in keeping on the dance until daylight, I think it is carrying the entertainment to such an extreme as to become an evil. Fiincy a bachelor residing in a house adjoining, who, being more discreet than some of these ladies, on retiring to rest, found three of their young ones placed in his bed. Unwilling to disturb the,.,,, innocent*), lib betook himself to the floor for rest.—l am, &c. Discretion.