BATHING BY NIGHT MYSTERY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 121, 15 February 1935, Page 7

BATHING BY NIGHT MYSTERY

Where Do People Change? FUN TILL MIDNIGHT AT ORIENTAL BAY For several years the popularity of Oriental Bay, AVellington,’as a playground for the summer bather has been increasing. This summer, .with- its long spell of hot weather, has transformed the beach into a modified Lido. True, the beach is not very extensive, but, divided as it is by the rocky promontory on which is located the bandstand which never houses a band, it can accommodate a thousand bathers and sun-bathers at a pinch. Indeed, it has been doing this ever since Christmas. ■ ‘ Not only do residents, school children and their parents enjoy bathing in the open in this bay, but it attracts bathers from all parts of the city. Many hundreds during the last mouth have made it their evening’s amusement They know none better nor cheaper. There is only one mystery attached to the bathing habit in Oriental Bay—where do these crowds of young.people dress and undress? Some of them slip out of motor-ears, and probably dress in them after they have had their swim; but that does not account for the majority. A good many simply slip on a coat, bathing gown or a towel and walk back home in their wet togs; but' where the rest of them disrobe for the harbour frolic is -a bit of a puzzle. . On AVednesday night the bay and its precincts rang with the laughter and shouts of the bathers up- till past 10 o’clock, and fresh parties were still arriving at that hour to keep the fun going until midnight. Householders’ Point of View. This may be all very well for the bathers, but the noise they make is rather disturbing to the residents of the bay. They do not begrudge the people the use of the waters of the harbour, but think that the bathers should not keep up their clamour until midnight and later. It seems that the ladies in particular cannot bath in silence. They must shout, shriek and laugh boisterously as they splash about in the sea, having little thought for the people in. the houses opposite. The popularity of Oriental Bay for bathing is partly due to the policy of the City Council in closing the Te Aro Baths at 7 o’clock. Not only is it broad daylight at that hour, but this is just the time when many of the people who work throughout the day can spare an hour or two for sea bathing. Naturally the public who might have favoured the baths have gone on to Oriental Bay, which they have found even better sport than the municipal ■baths. One city councillor who has been observing the situation for some weeks is of the opinion that the City Council has done the right thing in leaving the festoons of coloured lights on round the bay. These were originally erected in honour of the Duke of Gloucester, but such is the gala effect they have that this illumination has played, no unimportant part in popularising night bathing in the bay. This councillor thinks that next summer special lights should be erected at strategic points for the benefit of bathers. He confessed that it was a stimulating sight to see so many people having “the time ,of their lives” in the water every night, and thought something should be done, for them next year.