THE CARNIVAL AND THE SUPPORT OF THE WOUNDED.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2485, 11 June 1915, Page 3

THE CARNIVAL AND THE SUPPORT OF THE WOUNDED.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Tie Empire's need has called out our young men for its defence, and on the nation rests the responsibility of helping the wounded and the dependents of those who are killed. But the rulers of New Zealand have so far done nothing to lay the burden of this responsibility on every man and woman, whose home and business are rendered seoure because our 6oldiers fight and die. A tax which would touch everyone would perhaps be politically unpopular, but thero can be no doubt it is the right way to meet the position. As a result of this failure the generous and thoso who recognise their duty have come forward with money gifts, but quite inadequately; so that earuest and keon sympathisers have been moved to give their time and work to raise money from those who are too niggardly to give. But I am afraid many of us have felt shamed and humiliated by what is going on in Wellington at the present time I forbear to deal with the undesirableness of the Carnival Queen business, in which respectable women and girls feel called upon to allow themselves to be on a par with the racehorse as the subject of the bets of all and sundry, and stoop to tout for votes, which mean money; or to the incidents which marred an otherwise splendid procession, such as girls singly or in groujjs walking about the streets in men's clothing, etc. But it is the whole idea and spirit of the thing which is so abhorrent and lowering. One has long ago learnt that a large section of the community will never give in charity unless they get a. return in pleasure. But it might have been thought that this is different. Men are or being wounded perhaps for life, and New Zealand is rioting in carnival and pleasure. Parents and sisters and wives are spending their days in anxiety and sorrow, and they find columns of the newspapers every day given up to accounts of the riotous jollifications of those for whom their loved ones a,re suffering. "Oh, but," it will be said, "we are doing it to help the wounded." No doubt the motive of the workers and organisers of the Carnival is disinterested, though would they have worked so hard if there had been no pleasure attached to it? The dying soldier can feel: "My dependents are safe, because I know Wellington folk will get money from tango teas and other such' tilings.'' It is hard to write calmly on the matter, and these tango teas, etc., are patronised and encouraged by the highest in the land. The dyin<» soldier cannot feel satisfied that his dependents are safe in the keeping of the country for which he dies, because instead of taking up the burden and compelling the unwilling to pay as a duty, it prefers to show its appreciation of his. great service by raising money to help his dependents through rollicking pleasiye. Could anything be more humiliating to the "next-of-kin" than the thought; "If he is maimed or dies someone will get girls to collect in the streets, clad in men's clothes to make the collection more attractive, or there will be euchre parties, dances, etc., and the gambling instincts of the community will be fostered and exploited on his behalf; but the nation for which he and we have given all is not prepared to do its duty straight out." I know "next-of-kin" who can't speak of it all without emotion, i Is it because the party in power wishes i to show that it can handle this great business without extra taxation? If it j is, one can onlj- feel tho exigencies of , party are put before national honour and • duty. Many of us have soon and felt J the good that has como from the war in : its effect of making people serious and ! thoughtful. But now, for a good object, ] every instinct, low or high, is being ap- 1 pealed to; and that which should be a < nappy duty is simply the result of i pleasure and excitement.. I am con- ] vinced that whilo the fund will be large- ' ly increased as an outcome of the Car- j nival, it will be at the expense of a lowering in tone which will leave its mark for a long time to come.—l am, ! etc., J C. COLERIDGE HARPER. 1 St. Peter's Vicarage, Wellington. i [A great many people will a«ree with Archdeacon Harper in his condemnation of such features of the Carnival as the parading of the streets by young girls , dressed as men. Some also may consider the whole Carnival idea out of harmony ' with the gravity of the times. But tho ' sweeping denunciation by the reverend 1 gentleman does injustice to the spirit 1 which has prompted the magnificent effort 1 on behalf of our wounded soldiers and the ] dependents of those who.have lost their < lives, and belittles the very real sacri- ( fices that are being made by the great ' band of helpers whose labours are prompt- i ed by the sole desire to do something for , the gallant men who are facing death in ' the nation's cause at the Dardanelles. 1 Our troops at Trentliain, who ere long ( will be in the fighting line themselves, have participated in the Carnival effort, < and no doubt realise as all must do that i the outstanding factor which has made i for the success of the Carnival is the deep ] sense of obligation to its soldier sons , which tho community feels it rests under. As to taxation, that must come in duo ' course, and it is erroneous to suggest that ' anything in the way of taxation could 1 have been put into effect until Parliament 1 meets.] I ]