Drink and Dances

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 85, 1 July 1927, Page 16

Drink and Dances

CONFLICTING OPINIONS “GIRLS AS BAD AS MEN” (Special to THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. Further inquiries made by a SUN reporter on the subject of young girls drinking at dances elicited denials from dance promoters. They claim that the position has been exaggerated. One roundly condemned the “spotting:” habit, but added that the presence of drink at dances was not to be denied. Mr. J. Dixon, proprietor of “Dixieland,” denied that drinking was common among girls. He said positively that 95 per cent, of the girls who attend the cabaret do not drink. Bringing drink is absolutely prohibited. The statements made have exaggerated the . position. During the six years Dixieland has been in operation he had never seen a girl drunk. He could not help it if men brought in drink unseen, but drink on the premises was absolutely barred. The very few who managed to bring it were liable to prosecution. He thought drinking was done more by elder people than young men and girls. A different view was given by Mrs. K. Sax'oy, of the “Winter Garden.” “Young boys about 19 are to blame for giving girls drink. It is no good saying that there is no drinking. The girls are as bad as the men who give them 'cocktails. Nineteen out of 20 dancers behave themselves and I must say drinking is not so common among older people.” Other dance officials and promoters nf popular dances asserted that bringing drink to their dances was positively barred. Anyone under the influence of drink was ejected. They had rarely seen anyone drunk. The girls were not allowed to drink or to leave the halls after their entrance except for some valid reason. Inquiries among regular dancers yielded the information that the statements made yesterday were exaggerated and that although drinking did go on it was not indulged in by young girls to the extent mentioned. .Dancers were unanimous in the opinion that nothing could be said against private subscription dances.