SUN BATHING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 7

SUN BATHING.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —At a meeting of the Grange Road Harrier Club last evening it was decided that strong objection be taken —through your columns —to the statement made in your columns by a correspondent about a fortnight ago to the effect that "nearly all Bun bathers were vulgar." For a month this summer twenty members of the club camped near an Auckland beach to recuperate their health; but tho most enjoyable part of the outing namely, a good bask in the sun, to purify the skin and act as a general tonic, was denied the fellows for fear of tho "arm of the law," which pounced upon sunbathers when least expected. What do those who walk along tho beaches and say that the harmless sun-bathers aro vulgar think of the saying, "To the pure all things are pure"? I overheard threo old salts on a ferry boat a week ago laughing at the restrictions placed upon bathers; but modern Aucklandcrs seem to be very mock modest.—l am, etc.,

E. K. RIMMER, Secretary. (To the Editor.) Sir, —I was quite inspired, nay, overwhelmed, by the glorious sentiment and truth of "Civis's" opinion on sun bathing ou our beaches. Let us take Takapuna, for instance, a place wliich is becoming moro like London every day. On my way to church on Sunday morning I was horrified to see a female of fully four years of age sprawling and grovelling in the sand, clad only in a pair of "trunks" and wielding a wooden spade. I immediately looked about mc for similar cases of older females, hut was disappointed—l mean glad—to find none. For my own part, if I wish to bathe, I go through the following procedure: Going into the darkest room I hastily strip and don my regulation costume, consisting of rubber boots, long trousers, longer jacket, high water-tight collar, and rubber helmet. I next rub a little cocoanut oil upon the only exposed part of my anatomy (my nose), and, putting on my overcoat, I dash to a secluded beach, leave my towel and overcoat at the edge of the water and have my bathe, after which I can run home with a clear conscience.—l am, etc., SHOCKED.