KISSING HABIT ATTACKED.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1919, Page 3

KISSING HABIT ATTACKED.

SYDNEY, Feb. Bth

Persons rise up from time to time jn this country and denounce the practice of kissing. They seem to have reason and common-sense on their side but they arouse nothing more than a brogtl smile and a: universal chuckle. one wants to know if it is possible to stop the practice, he ought to visit tne Sydney parks and beaches on those soft summer evenings. Recently a conference of health in specters in Sydney quite seriously discussed the proposal that kissing bo made ail offence under the law. At there seoniod a possibility that the pio nasal would he supported, but a growin«r chorus of jeers from a'll directions filially caused the conference to abandon the idea in disorder. But the outbreak of influenza, amt the adoption of masks and other methods of intercepting germs have brought the matter into prominence again, and a Presbvteria'n minister in Vctoria has returned to the attack. Kissing, he ! .said, was not only extremely foolish I but was decidedly unhealthy, and well , merited the severest strictures of the hvdmst medical authorities. It ulas 1 simplv shocking that babies and children should he made the receptacles for all kinds of germs by reason of the prevailing fashion. He confessed , that when lie saw people indulging in promiscuous kissing, it produced in him a feeling almost akin to nausea. He felt that, for the welfare of the community the practice should he rigorously surpassed. If young people of opposite sexes iiml it necessary to kiss. each other, let them do it oil sanitary lines, and use sterilised, germ-proof gauze. He urged his congregation to strictly abstain from kissing in any circumstances and thus minimise the risk of infection. The reverend gentleman caused. a good deal of comment, not all hostile. But the average Australian wants to know-how would he proceed to stop kissing?