SHORTS BANNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 65, 17 March 1936, Page 12

SHORTS BANNED.

IN OFFICERS' CLUB. SHOCK FOR ALDERSHOT. PROTESTS BY SPORTSMEN. (Special.—By Air Mall.) LONDON, February 22. The wearing of shorts by men or women to wliicli London has become thoroughly used, has been suddenly banned in the Aldershot Officers' Club, rendezvous not only of officers, their wives and daughters, but also of many county families living near Aklersliot. The ban does not apply to outside games, but is to be enforced throughout the clubhouse, with the exception of the dressing rooms. v/Hundreds of women members are rebellious against the new regulation— and they have substantial support from the younger men members. Ono prominent woman member said: "This action of tho committee, chiefly composed of very senior officers, and on which women are not represented, is the limit. The committee is old-fashioned and quite unqualified to lay down the law as to what modern woman should wear. I don't believe the committee could distinguish between shorts and a. divided skirt. As most modern women wear divided skirts for games, the committee will probably find it impossible to apply the rule without creating scenes. I know that many of the junior officers do not support this dictatorial measure." On the other hand, the secretary declared: "This club is the recreational centre not only of the command, but also of well-known civilian families of tho neighbourhood 1 , and tho decencies must be preserved. We must put a stop to parties of young men aiul women bursting into the lounge in dirty sports clothes after playing mixed hockey matches, squash racquets or lawn tennis; lolling all over the seats, and larking about in the ballroom at our tea dances. There is no excuse for that sort of behaviour in a respectable club, and we shall see that the rule is enforced vigorously. Not a single exception will be made." Other views were also expressed about the ban. Mr. H. W. (Bunny) Austin, the English tennis star, who habitually plays in shorts, said: "I have worn shorts while taking tea in the social rooms of places like Queen's Club and even in hotel lounges —and nobody has expressed a wish to throw me out. I wonder will Scots soldiers wearing kilts be allowed to visit the club? Nobody seems to, think it is disgraceful when tliev show their knees." Miss Dorothy Round, the All-England tennis star, said: "It is the first time in my experience that a club lias made a rule banning shorts. Everybody accepts shorts nowadays as more or less the regulation costume."