Massage girls kept busy despite anti-vice crusade

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34107, 20 March 1976, Page 1

Massage girls kept busy despite anti-vice crusade

(By

PALL RANSLEY)

Business continues as usual for most of Christchurch massage parlours, in spite of adverse publicity and a controversy that many of the parlour owners say is verging on the absurd.

Mention the words “massage parlours" in some circles these days and you are likely to conjure up in the minds of your listeners visions of vice dens run by naked women experienced in the dubious art of "under the counter” services at a slight fee.

Perhaps this sort of reaction is .justified/ Many of the people in the business to whom I spoke yesterday agreed that a number of parlours provided "extra services." They suggested there was a need for greater supervision to get rid of this element. The massage business has as many different sides to it as any service industry, and choices for the man in search of a massage in Christchurch are wide and varied. Ms Sherrin Holcroft runs Sherri’s Massage Parlour from her home in Tomes Road. She has two rooms set aside in her house, each fitted with a massage table. She also runs an out-call service in which a masseuse : will visit a private home or I hotel room. She complained that! recent publicity had seriously affected her business. The' number of clients a day had dropped from about 10 to three, she said. She employs four; masseuses, and has a range of prices for their services. For $l5 you can get an hour- ; long massage. If you want: the girl to take off her top; it costs $2O. and for $25 the

masseuse will take all her jdothes off. Ms Holcroft said that most of her clients preferred nude massages and nine out of 10 wanted “extras.” which were not provided. “If people want a massage, ithey can come to us, but if I they want anything else' they can go somewhere else.” j The Select Lounge, ini Colombo Street, is run byMs Vanessa Chandler, aged; 18. She said she was sick of people who wanted to hear : bad things about massage parlours. She was wary of talking to “The Press” for fear that her business might be linked with dubious businesses. She employs four masseuses and charges $7 for a half-hour massage in which the girl is fully 'clothed. Shei says she is the best; masseuse in town and has! about 18 to 24 clients a day.; Her masseuses have six; weeks practical and theoreti-! cal training before they be-; gin work. For the $7 her clients get! • a massage, a sauna, and a scrub. She says she never has any problems with clients! asking for “extras’’ because; ithey know they would not ; get any. Most of her clients were; ibusinessmen, and she always; : tried to encourage a friendly atmosphere at the parlor, she ‘ said. :

“A lot of people come to; us disillusioned about the massages they receive at j I other places. "I am selling a product., i and it has to be better than ■ anyone else’s. I am in mas-1 ! sage for massage, not any-1 . I thing else,” she said. The Man-Tuam Relaxai i torium, on the corner of '■Manchester Street and Tuam I; Street, is owned by Mr Ivan t Kwaza. It is a large complex • which is in only the first stage • of completion. It is modern and spotlessly > clean. All masseuses are ■ fully clothed when they give [ a massage, and Mr Kwaza says that if one of the ■ employees took a stitch of - clothing off she would be /dismissed. il The Man-Tuam is more of :;a health studio than a masi i sage parlour, and Mr Kwaza . plans to add a gymnasium J and a restaurant to the com- . plex. The establishment caters) -for men and women, and handles about 1000 clients a t week. >; As well as a sauna and! . massage parlour there is a. ■ large plunge pool and a very, large lounge with a library) that includes some volumes 1 ;'of Macaulay’s “History of 1 England.’’ With Marina’s South Sea: ! Spa, the Man-Tuam was! referred to by other people! in the business as completely! , “straight.” “Every sauna and massage I parlour should be licensed and inspected by the Health Department.” Mr Kwaza said. One massage parlour recently in the news is the Olympus Sauna Lounge, which is also a bath house. An employee recently appeared in cburt.

The owner of the business, IMr Billy Jones, said that he knew nothing about the girls’ activities and wanted to i clear his name.

His premises are clean, and diffused lights create an j intimate and relaxing atmosphere.