THE REST ROOM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 6

THE REST ROOM

"RIDICULOUS OPPOSITION"

VIEWS OF MR. p. PHASER,- M.P.

"Nothing could be more ridiculous than, the opposition which has developed suddenly against the. proposed ladies' rest room in Courtenay place., except the Him and spurious reasons which are advanced to support the agitation, remarked Mr. P. Fl . aser; up> t0 a "Post" reporter to-day. "Quite obviously the oppositionists, whoever they are, knew very little or nothing .about the proposal when theY rushed off to the newly-elected Mayor with their hasty coiifu.ee!, and hazy objections. I would be surprised to learn that any member of the deputation had even fn,am,' nC<> «>e Pla" of the rest room beiwe lending his voice to the altogether stupid chorus of disapproval. A look at the plan will convince anyone that so far from being of the naff? vi dlsllg»«mont. the building, set oft, although not hidden, by shrub's and flower beds will be a decided imincrement on the present bare asphalt pavement. L

Ihe City Lngineer's office is to be congratulated os the plans and designs it has prepared. The entrance, roof, extenor walls, and interior appear to be in good taste. With New Zealand marble for the steps, the entrance can be at once simple and artistic. "Apparently the reported deputation had no clear conception of what the building was intended for. They imagined^ horror of horrors, that it was to be just a women's lavatory. With die suffocating mock modesty of an early Victorian maiden aunt, they talked about 'indelicacy' and 'a less public situation, obviously endeavourin" to indicate that there was something wrong m there being any necessity for such a place. . •

A glance at the plans will reassure those super-squeamish gentlemen. The little building is intended to be just what the name indicates—a rest room for women, and particularly 'for mothers with young children. The mhin purpose of ,th 0 rest room is to give an opportunity to tired mother with babies, from the suburbs, and country districts, who are visiting the principal shopping portions Of the city, to rest and feed and attend to their babies. Irovisions will be made for hot water for this purpose. "The room will be furnished in suitable, comfortable, and tasteful fashion, with tables and chairs as well as lounge seats. I hope that newspapers and magazines will be provided by the Public Library, and that writing materials will be available. Mothers will be able to leave their perambulators in the vestibule, which is specially: arranged for this purpose.

"There will be the usual lavatory accommodation, but, really, the deputationists must, surely know that such is unavoidable in any public building, or private building either, for that matter. If that fact is a good reason for placing the rest room up some isolated side street, where it could be so 'modestly' and 'delicately' hidden that no one would know of its existence, then it would hold at least equally strong in regard to the Town Hail, the Opera House, or Parliament Buildings."