The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1885 Larrikinism

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 95, 27 January 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1885 Larrikinism

We regret that it should be again necessary for us to allude to the above

very unsavoury subject, but circumstances make it necessary for us to

accept the "unpleasant task of directing public attention to an evil which, instead of "deminishing, appears to be steadily increasing in our midst. It will be seen, in our report of the proceedings at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, .that the Chairman of the Bench pointod out the severity of the penalties which must be inflicted in cases brought under the" Police Offences Actj-where offenders are convicted. The constable has had impressed on him the fact that the Bench will afford him every support in stamping out the crying evil of larri-

kinism, in whatever shape or form it may be found. . We therefore caution all- those who are given to, that kind of amusement, and; remind them that : in every act of blackguardism they risk the _tigma of imprisonment and the penalty of heavy fines. For obscenity'there is • no;, option ; imprisonment is inevitable on conviction. It is ' a disgrace to the Borough that respectable, church - going citizens should have their ears offended by the blasphemous and filthy language "of the young men and lads who persistently hang about .Manchester street on Sunday afternoons and evenings. We, on the other hand, regret that the, otherwise respectable looking lads should not :endeavor to exercise more self-restraint, and offer a better example to those younger than themselvesIt is neither witty nor manly to garnish their conversation " with round mouth-filling oaths." -It is not only, bad taste, but a gratuitous; sin, and a j senseless one besides. It is a pity also! to see boys, of less than fourteen or fifteen years of age smoking vile tobacco, to the injury of their constitutions as well as-their pockets. We write ii_ all Borrow, , for we like . l , our Tbqyjß.*? •. sThev- are^biy*r__g.the exceptions above noted— manly, hard- work-; i_.g-yb_.ng fellows. sThera is! not ari idle drop of blood jp their veins. Their rpinsrqre -the result of -pure animalism, which canjnot find . a better : directed outlet. -They are sober, and sfe^dyi, without the slightest ; inclination to diriiik' intoxicating drinks. In point of fact, they have in-them the material to make splendid settlers and workers. We do not for one moment believe that they can be made moral by the Police Offences Act. They need some other means than that. They want the example of parents ; the guidance and-teachinj* of the clergy ; and above all, they want means 1 of amusement provided which will, be _ attractive enough to draw them into a new line. It is observable that the games bf cricket and football, which; have always such i a good effect in forming; a manly character, are singularly neglected here. These games are neither followed by the young- nor encouraged by the old. Where this is the case _arri__ni_n_*. is inevitable "and almost excusable. We would suggest that liberal public support be given to ihe formation of clubs which encourage athletics,, and that parents and heads of families encourage, the youths by their presence at meetings when playis going on.