"INDECENT HUGGING."

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 164, 13 August 1929, Page 8

"INDECENT HUGGING."

"YOUTH."

To the Editor. Sir, — Tn your issue of the Daily Tele--gyapb of tbe ninth instant was a report of an address delivered by Dr. Maud Fere, on modern dancing. I cannot let the remarks go unchaTlenged, even when made by a person of even Dr. Fere's distinction. Her criticisms of present-dav dances and dancing is quite unfair and horribly exaggerated. "Indecent bugging," is true only in the minds of few, and is certainly not beld by the dancers themselves. Dr Fere must be suffering from some form of distoi*tion to allow, ber to make sucb remarks. Sbe speaks of young and beautiful girls wbo have conie to ber and complamed tbat. fond tbougli tbey are of dancing tlie beliaviour they have to put up with was such tliat tbey could not attend any more dances. Perhaps tbe girls are to blame for tbis unfortunate state of affairs, as 110 person, however young, wbo is .narrow-minded can go to any place or form of amusement

and enjov his or herself. Dr. Fere s remarks have done more to bring to people's minds tbe idea of tbe present mode oi holding partners as being indecent tlian anyone dancing all their young life would imagine, and her words are mos't "eatty" and more likely to cause evil tliougbts tlian the actions and gestures of the dancers ever were. For a good, clean, healthful pastime, where youth and youth only can enjoy themselves thorougbly, a dance has no equal and Dr. Fere's illuskm to dances tbat are "decent" and "indecent" is a poor comparison and as Shakespeare said, "There's notbing eitber good nor had,' but tbinking makes it so." Think tbe best, act tlie best and no evil will come, and for that matter, Dr. Fere aud her W.E.A. meetings are not run on tbe lines of strict business, I should imagine, and sordid and narrow-minded details of tliings are breathed at those meetings to make tbe idea of "indecent liugging" an oecupation fit for angels. Being sorrv to see anyone suffering under a delusion as regards tbe present day dances, may I hasten to assure tbem tbat -the jov of dancing has not diminisbed one wliit in -'all tbe luindreds of years it lias existed. I feel sure tliat it will be so for bundreds of years yet, witbout the under-4 niinitig influences of prejudiced people. Being young myself, and a frequenterof tbe dance balls, I feel insulted by Dr. Fere's remarks and can safely saytliat many otbers are, but as Dr-: Fere's criticisms and judgment are not final, let m© add. "on with tlie dance^ >■ let joy be unconfined." — I am, etc..

Haumoana, August 12, 1929.