Nude Bathers Near Waimairi

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30635, 29 December 1964, Page 1

Nude Bathers Near Waimairi

A growing number of men and women are using the sandhills and beach between Waimairi and Spencer Park for sunbathing and swimming in the nude.

One resident in the Broad Park (Waimairi Beach) area estimated that up to 40 nudists have been making daily use of the secluded and desolate stretch of lupins and broom. Others living near the area put the number at no more than 20, but all agree that the number of nudists has greatly increased in the last two years. A track between the sandhills, about 200 yards from the sea, runs parallel with the shore for about 1J miles north of Broad Park and vehicles can be driven along it for nearly a mile. The hundreds of acres of sandhills on either side of the track and for more than four miles beyond the end of the track can only be traversed on foot.

“They do not flaunt them-

selves; in fact they go away into the lupins if any person in clothes or swimming costume goes up the beaeh or track,” commented a shopkeeper. “If children go near them, they put on clothes. They do not want to offend anyonetwo of them told me that,” said a resident who jogs up the beach to keep fit. “The nudists are generally out in the early morning when there are very few other people about,” he added. “It seems to be a nudist colony, or, at least, groups of nudists.” No Complaints The New Brighton police have had no complaints. A sergeant from the Central Police Station, who had occasion to speak to a nudist on the beach in sight of other persons, said the man was co-operative and put on a pair of shorts. The nudist did not consider he was giving offence, and the three dressed persons were hundreds of yards away. A representative of the Canterbury Sun and Health Club, which has its headquarters vof 17 acres of treeplanted ground on private

property at Rolleston, said last evening that the persons practising nudism at the beach were not members of the club.

“Frankly, our club is all in favour of a portion of the beach and foreshore being set aside for naturists. We think it would be a grand thing, and something that must come.

“However, the policy of the club is to wait for Government approval of any such project. We have our own headquarters, ‘Pineglades,’ with swimming pools and games courts. “Visitors are welcome to our headquarters and any enthusiastic naturist from the beach area is asked to ap-

proach us if he or she so desires,” he said. It is estimated that more than 300 nudists from all parts of the country will attend the annual rally of the New Zealand Sunbathing Association at “Pineglades” beginning on Thursday. The association is very much in favour of a beach, or part of it, being set aside for its members. Members point to such beach areas in many Continental countries, and approaches have been made on the subject to successive Ministers of Internal Affairs. All the beaches in New Zealand are the property of the Crown and come under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department.