IN HEART OF A CITY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 36, 6 November 1933, Page 11

IN HEART OF A CITY

Girls’ Sun-bathing Club ROOF GARDEN SOLARIUM Dominion Special Service. Christchurch, November 5. The roof of Hereford Court in Hereford Street. A high parapet round it screening off the breeze, aud the warm sun beating down. Deck chairs, beach chairs, and light couches all about A stall for soft drinks and cigarettes and sweets near the door, and a radio set bringing in light music standing on the counter of the stall. And sitting on the chairs and reclining on the couches — girls, about a dozen of them. One in a bathing suit, holding a glass of raspberryade in one hand and reading a magazine she held in the other. Several others eating lunches laid out on the little tables. Four or five stretched full length on the couches, just lazing in the sun. On the tables ash trays, and on one a pack of playing cards, but no one smoking or playing just at the moment. Everybody about looked contentedly comfortable and lazy. A reporter found bis way to the headquarters of the Sunshine Club yesterday and all that is something of what he saw. Mrs. M. McKenzie, who has established the roof-garden sunbathing club for business girls was quite willing to tell the reporter all about it. “We want the girls to know,” said she. “Some of the girls are here now, but we have only just started this idea, and not many have joined up yet.” “Lots of girls like sun-bathing. It’s pleasant and it’s healthy,” said Mrs. McKenzie. “But what chance do they get? The beaches are a long way from here. The business girls can’t go to the beach in their lunch-hour and many can’t after work. “We thought of making a sun-bath-ing club for business girls and this is it. They can come up here in their lunch-time, eat their lunches here, sit or lie about in the sun, and —well there you are.” The reporter wanted to know the dress for this sun-bath treatment. “Well, they can wear what, they like,” said the manageress. “We have a clianging-rooiu here, and the girls can change into swimming togs or anything and just lie about in the sun till they have to go back to work.” Mast of the girls on the premises yesterday were in summer frocks, though some in costumes had removed the costume coat and hat, and sat in the warm sun thus. “Some girls may just like to sit in the sun; well, they can do that if they like,” said Mrs. McKenzie. The roof garden would be open from ten o’clock each morning. Mrs. McKenzie emphasised that the idea , was not a stunt or a fad. The club was simply a place where girls who wished to have some sort of privacy while they ate their lunches or sun J bafilled, or both, could do so. There would be constant supervision and proper control. Sun-bathing was very healthy. It was supported by doctors everywhere. A little at a time was the best way to take it, and this club was providing just that. Later, she expected, girls would become regular habitues of the sun-bathing club on the roof garden, and in the height of summer they would be able to sun-bathe there till six o’clock or later. Christchurch had never had such a thing before, so far as she knew, and she doubted If there had been an open sun-bathing club in a heart of a business area anywhere in the country. The chib was just to fill the need expressed by many girls for some quiet and convenient spot where they could enjoy their sun-bathing, or at.any rate eat their lunches in the sunshine without doing it in public. The Sunshine Club is the name of it. There are enough devotees now to ensure that it will go on. So Christchurch has a solarium for business girls in one of its busiest streets.