CARNIVALS CONDEMNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1915, Page 4

CARNIVALS CONDEMNED.

•AUCKLAND PLUNGED I» DISSIPATION."

A DEMORALISING INFLUENCE. A striking condemnation of certalß features of queen carnivals was made by the Rev. A. If. Colvile, preaching at St. Mary's Church last night. "The city of Auckland has lately plunged into tlio dissipation—there is no other word for it —of a queen carnival," said the preacher. "Practically the whole body of the clergy and ministers of all denominations, led by our Bishop, protested at the outset against one de« moralising feature of that carnival—the lotteries, raffles, and art unions which obviously encourage the gambling spirit in communities where they take place. That protest was almost eon temptuously disregarded. The carnival was begun, and it was soon apparent that other and more dangerous things even than lotteries were to be encouraged. Women, and especially young girls, were being encouraged to make themselves cheap. A man could not walk down Queen Street without being accosted by some young woman with a request to buy a lottery ticket. GirU who in normal times would resent any liberty from a man, particularly from a man they did not know, not only tolerated, but appeared to encourage, such liberties, or would even go into hotel bars and endeavor to sell ticket* to the men who were drinking there. And these are not as a rule fast young women, but decent, well brought up girls who had caught what was called 'the carnival spit'—tlie spirit which prompts thein to throw ah* restraint to the winds, to lay aside natural modesty, to appeal to what is worst and not to what is best in men, to make themselves cheap. The demoralising of women is the greatest danger with which any community can be threatened, and no cause, however good, is worth the danger. Do you like to think of your daughters' or sisters' names being bandied about in the mouths of betting men in public bars, made the subject of coarse jests and rude comparisons, figuring in sweepstakes and in many other ways held lightly and cheaply V Continuing, the preacher said the harm the carnival did to the community was out of all proportion to the good purpose it achieved. He believed that in a time like the present the frivolity and dissipation of a carnival was not only out of place but must be a pain and an offeaop tp hundreds of sorrowful people.