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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4352, 2 March 1875, Page 2

The Dunedin Evening Star has an excellent and suggestive article on the social condition of young men, which has a much wider application than the writer possibly imagines. While bearing testimony to the value of Sunday-schools, and the various literary and musical societies maintained by the young men of Dunedin, in connection with the several churches, the want of something more general is pointed out. Onr contemporary remarks :

Then there are clubs formed or in course of forma tion for the very purpose of escaping the downward drag of being compelled to resort to taverns for means of enjoying games of skill. Were all these various agencies summed up, it would be found that society is at least groping its way to a higher and purer life than characterises the generality of large towns at Horae and in other colonies. We by no means think that the results are equivalent to the efforts put forth ; although we are not sanguine enough to suppose that : anyvast improvement can possibly take place until our social machinery is much improved. One great impediment to advance in this respect is the difficulty young men experience in finding lodgings in which they can, at reasonable cost, enjoy the privacy and liberty of home, combined with equal attention and comfort to what they would receive there. In all rapidly increasing populations this drawback to social comfort necessarily exists. We know there are many hotel-keepers who do their best to render their inmates comfortable; but the conditions on which their business is carried on present an impassable barrier to their success. Room is too valuable to be parted with except at scarcity prices ; the demand for it exceeds the supply, and the income of those who need it -will not afford paying for a large share of it. So full were all the hotels during Christmas-tide, that tourists were obliged to go back t« Port Chalmers and sleep in their berths on board a steamer, because they were unable to obtain beds in Dunedin. If, therefore, it were desirable that young men, residents in the town, should adopt hotel life as a custom, they cannot have command of that privacy which Is absolutely necessary to intellectual or artistic advance. If they wish to practise music, they cannot do it without annoying their neighbor in the next room, or becoming laughed at for unskilfulness should they venture to strum upon a piano in a public room. The probability is, were they to venture upon such an experiment, some one who fancied he had music in his soul would gruffly tell them to stop that noise, or take themselves off where nobody could’hear their fumbling. If one wished to excel in drawing, he would have to put up with imperfect light, or sit in a close, unhealthy room. When servants’ homes, sailors* homes, working mens’ clubs, and other similar institutions are so much advocated, and thought to be essential to the welfare of the classes Intended to be benefited, it is surprising that, no one has thought of a home for young'mon. Bankers,‘merchants, and tradesmen, deeply interested as they are in the moraland intellectual qualifications of their employes, display very extraordinary indifference as to their social and physical comfort. “We pay them their salaHes]” they say, “and they must shift for themselves."' This apathy we consider suicidal. It is not a question of cost to them ; it is merely one of leadership and influence. The class that need their sympathy are not beggars in intellect or pocket r they are simply inexperienced, and scarcely-in a posltion- to initiate a system better adapted to the. requirements of their social status. In consequence, whatever efforts are made to escape the inconveniences to which .they are , subjected, are desultory and without system. Classes are formed, whiph are often ill-conducted and cease to., be interesting ;-associations are entered into, the objects of which are frustrated by many who entered' into obligations to contribute to. them, withdrawing their Support bn frivolous',pretences, and very.frequently because there is no leading ‘mind, possessing the tact and ability to inspire an esprit dt corps in.the members.; 'Dunedin presents an instance in point.' Before the establishment of a Government school for drawing, it would have been difficult to find one who; could use a pencil or a brush ; bat now;'because they are lefl, the number of copyists; and good copyists .too, is legion—and this in about five years. It is worth'considering why equal advance has not been made da music—that it has not is notorious.' The fact lafthere is waste of power in Duhedin 'through' .division division into sects, and .Co-operation, that is capable of effecting 'so/much when .well organised, is too much overlooked; v Tho young men might easily, help themselves,. 1 if a good working plan of well-conducted private clubs, with transferable proprietary shares, were instituted., fit needs no patronage, for it might be made. self-siip-porting at' moderate cost to the Inmates ; although, in the first instance, those who have realised capital might,have to become shareholders to give it a-start.. If merchants and others who invested did not realiso a'sixpence of dividend, they would reap the indirect benefit of securing for. comforts that at present they-canhot enjoy; and thronghthelrponsequently increased ability and usefulness, ; -• * Now,- the foregoing remarks exactly fit : the-case of Wellington. Our young 'men, to find their own. amusement's, innocent or otherwise, as the base may be; f wheri a little well-directed effort to guide them,'.by men of position and means, would do an incalculable .amount of good. * We’trust that this.subject will engage the attention, .of those who have the power to influence society in the proper direction,; Thereis no community, perhaps, sing moresuitable. materials for forming, say; a Working-Men’s Club, combining with; it a library and reading room,' billiard and chess rooms, together with* classes for special instruction in drawing, music, And natural science., In Scotland and England these clubs have been found highly* successful, paying the proprietors a handsome ;<lividend after providing all the expense's of the club, out of a very, moderate annual subscription., We trust some; one will take the initiative in this matter. The moral and intellectualwelfare of our young. men certainly deserve' looking after. At present, there is n 6 organisation to that end. The population of Wellington has quite grown beyond the appliances which Vere found suitable, eight, or . ten years ago, 1 for amusement and instruction.