LANGUAGE IN THE STREETS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1955, 12 January 1914, Page 4

LANGUAGE IN THE STREETS.

One of the stupidest offences which comes under the ban of the law is the use of what is expressively termed "bad language." In its milder forms this inelegant practice is to be attributed rather to ignorance and lack of instruction than to any very evil intent, but when- the degradation of language extends to sheer obscenity repressive measures become urgently necessary. It is reasonable, in dealing with a question of this nature, to He guided to some extent by the accepted 'standards of the period. The authorities would hardly be justified, for instance, in imposing upon New Zealand at the present "day the austere code of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, under which i a man convicted of using a single oath- was punished by having a jug of' water poured down his sleeve or in some similar fashion. So many New Zealanders habitually, interlard their talk with oaths, strange and familiar, and with lurid expressions of various kinds, that it would savour of affectation to run a tilt against the use of bad language in general' An expletive rapped out in anger or uttered in mere carelessness, while it is not a thing to be commended, does not necessarily constitute any very serious offence-, and if nothing worse were to be heard in our city streets it might be safely left to religions and secular teachers to gradually bring about reform. Unfortunately, however, it is becoming increasingly common to hear language used in the streets of Wellington and other cities which offends the- ears of any decent man or woman by its gross obscenity. This statement can be verified by any citizen who walks through one of our busier thoroughfares in-the late afternoon or evening. ' Very often language- of the class alluded to comes from men who have not even the insufficient excuse of being angry or in liquor. They simply stroll along, pouring forth obscenities in the way of ordinary conversation. Possibly the worst offenders of this type are not a very numerous body, but there are enough of them to create a disgusting social evil which demands repression. As things now stand a woman is lucky if she passes through of our streets m the busier hours of the day without hearing words and expressions; which no woman or any one else should be called upon to listen to. It is satisfactory to note that in a number of cas.es lately severe penalties have been imposed upon men convicted of using obscene language, but activity should not be relaxed by the police until the evil has been, as far as possible, eliminated. While we are upon this subject there is another of its aspects to which attention may with p r ° fifc be directed. This is the : use of bad language by 'boys. .-''The moral welfare of children is, of course, mainly a matter for' their parents and guardians, but school teachers and" others entrusted with the care of children can also do a groat deal' to discourage the use of bad language by the members of the rising generation.' , :■;&\. ..,; : ■' ■When Betsy coughed and sneezed-all night, " "■•- The houses qu.iktii and shook, J*--<: And neighbours said miles* she stopped ■' Thsv'd soon brins her to book. ■' .So m'order to avoid •% scant-, ■ ' And hfir neighbours' jxaiM to ensure, : Shi>. doc'orei hor lungs successfully is frith ; Woods' Groat, Foptsdnmkt Cw>.