A COMPLAINT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 15 August 1907, Page 3

A COMPLAINT.

To the Editor. Sir,—l was the occupant of a stall scat, at tlie performance of "Lohengrin," and (luring one of the rather lengthy intervals, 1 was startled and annoyed by receiving a chocolate on my (must I confess it?) slightly bald pate. I looked lip and discovered that my tormentor was a large-sized child of eighteen or thereabouts, who occupied a front scat in the dress circle, and amused herself by hurling her sweets at the helpless unfortunates seated below. Perhaps the child was tired, but surely she was in the company of some parent or guardian, who at least should have known better than to allow her to commit such a '•gaucherie." If the young person's "youth" could possibly be put forward as a plea lor such evident ignoranee of the lirst tenets of gocTo breeding--then that young person should lie handed back to her governess' care until the deficiency be supplied. Her plaec is certainly rather in the nursery than in the dress sircle at a performance of grand opera. If a galleryite in a Sydney theatre were guilty of such conduct, one could overlook it with perhaps a shrug of the shoulders, but this young lady is presumably a "climber" on the social ladder, and should have discarded such childish amusements with her dolls and skipping-ropes. Perhaps T am a crusty old bachelor who has forgotten his own youthful hours, but surely the munching of sweets is scarcely the correct thing at a performance of Wagner's beautiful "Lohengrin"! My bahl pate is already a growing source ot uneasiness to me. without mv being so rudely reminded of it when T take my humble stalls seat at the theatre. I therefore earnestly request flic publication of this small protcvt, in the hope (lint it may reach the eyes of the young Uady iu question and convince her "of the error of her ways.—l am. etc.. " RUFFLED."