BEACHES AND BATHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14895, 22 January 1912, Page 8

BEACHES AND BATHERS

SAD LACK OF FACILITIES. LETHARGIC LOCAL BODIES. NEED FOR ACCOMMODATION. Now that wo are in the middle of the bathing season in Auckland, the extraordinary manner in which the interests of bathers are neglected, by the authorities, who could so easily cater to them, is more than ever evidence. Posseted of some of the finest beaches in the Dominion tho various Auckland local bodies consistently blind themselves to the natural advantages such valuable assets afford, and year after year maintain "an apathetic indifference towards a crying need of the community. | What are the bathing facilities on the , Auckland Why are they so few when they might so easily bo numerous With a view to clearing up the former question a Herald representative has visited some of the more popular bathing resorts on the southern shore of the inner harbour. His observations show that a deplorable state of affairs is allowed to exist.' ' On Shelly Beach. Shelly Beach, Ponsonby, is the only place where any really practical 'attempt i has been made. provide accommodation for bathers. But how paltry that accommodation is. . There is a barn-like shed, , divided for {he sexes, covered in certainly, "and equipped with pegs, and a shower balih. " In the men's department there is just about room to swing the . proverbial cat, "but-' no '■"more. The' consequence is that, on Saturdays, Sundays, arid holidays, when thousands ef-people visit the beach, the. greater proportion, .of ■ whom - either bathe, or would like to,: there is such a crush, in . the shed as to rob the dip in the i briny of half ' its pleasure. . Indeed, the t bather is fortunate who can squeeze his way into the shelter at all except' after a 1 tedious wait for someone to come out and leave a peg clear. , * '-, Even though there is this wonderful shed , on Shelly Beach it seems to have its disadi vantages. It is not sic.©, for instance, for " a modest man to find : his trousers missing 1 after h&ving'his Bathe. 'Nor is'it pleasant !.' to discover, that big loose change has gone [. astray. Yet such experiences have befallen bathers : within thelast week or two. The '! payment of * entrance fee to ' this or any I' other shed, on this or: any other ,; : beach, ' should surely ■ carry with it a guarantee of ' safety for property. ' ' ' ; > Ho Sign of New Bath. '; Everybody knows that the City Council , has decided, on the authority of th« taxpayer, to "erect a bath at Shelly Beach, j but nobody knows ~ when the structure; is e to be commenced. So far there is not the slightest. sign of & Maybe it will be available next summer, but even then -it ' is doubtful whether it will be large enough . to'meet all demands, seeing that it, will be the 'only bath of the kind, whereas sit I should be one of many. ,'" ; 1 A /State of Affairs. Meantime bathers at Shelly Beach have. 3 to * disrobe in the' inadequate, shed referred . to, or more or legs in the ; public ■-view on , the beach? itself, where the sheltering tree, t bush, and rock are conspicuous chiefly by I their absence. " . I . Worse Conditions Elsewhere. 1 In addition to Shelly 'Beach there are . several others -at. and beyond ... FSnsonby, ! such as Sentinel, Tibbs', Heme Bay, and f Point" Chevalier beaches," to '"iky fnothing : . I of smaller but not less-frequented spaces t, on the"whole length: of the waterfront, . front Ponsonoby to Parnell; and even fur--3 tlier afield, where bathing has ■;to be carried . on under even worse conditions. .It is absolutely' deplorable that matters are'not . remedied. """■'") •"* -•"'!'*'' ,; ' V,*',"";'^"' 1 - - "On "any of tho beaches named; despite the*-inaccessibility of some of ithtm, there ' may be witnessed at each full tide incident I after incident speaking eloqueptjy <jf the • 'disabilities of bathers. ' ;'"',■*- ; ?1 Frequenters "of 1 Sentinel Beach, Pop-. sonby, liave to Undress on a slippery bank, : , ! behind frees' that only * afford, 'partial con-j 1 .cealment," Hundreds put up,with it, bun--3 dreda more prefer to he deprived of the 1 ocean bath;

There is a tiny shed on* Tibbs' Beach, Pohsoiiby; privately ownfed, which is usu-ally-made available for * lady bathers, but men have to seek the shelter of the hillside trees, and undergrowth. This is an ideal bathing-place otherwise, with good water^i i e¥' mitjrs*; either side of "high ' tide. But its popularity is checked for the want of dreßsing : aecommodation. '"*":"<;, -*'• "" The North' Beaches. Across 'the' Water the same tale may be repeated. Certainly at Devoripdrt and at ! Cheltenham Be&ch there are aheda of a >kind, .but they are in no senae , ideal nor, adequate. * Neither ' are the heachgs "' of Northcote provided with anything like the necessary bathing accorhmodatpn. ? '' ■?*"'.■ ■ In Takapuna Beach Auckland owns what ought •tQ'W'the--Manly-of New Zealand. There on. a rough day the surf-bather may indulge to the full in this favourite pastime 1 —if he can find a place in which to disrobe. ' Beyond a couple of bathing machawajttd some . privatr sheds then publie," however, have' been denied all facili-; ties' for' enjoying *tin*B ideal beach in the ■swimming 7 season.. >;..■■. -.;•.. £„.,, „ , ,;■. [ (The Remedy a Cheap One. Anyone would imagine that to provide the necessary facilities for bathers on our, beaches- a -vast'expenditure;would be ' entailed. Nothing of the sort. V~- ~ ) t A temporary remedy for this. present' reprehensible lack of accommodation could; be very cheaply" effected:"' Bathers them- 5 selves would be only too glad to contribute towards the" cost:""" :'"''' , vl. On every beach there ought to be constructed without .further delay, similar bather's' dressing Enclosures' as to those to' be «een on every 'beach* ; in Sydney. l /These consist merely of fenced-in spaces, the material used to enclose them being corrugated iron'. They are built shoulder high, and are open at the base to ankleheight."-""' -'' ' —■' ■■..--•' Such enclosures "are not perfect, but they, serve, -and,- pending the erection of proper : -bathing sheds, or, better still, of up-to-date baths,--they should he constructed at once orieyery beach to which the public resort. "The time has 1 "'arrived'*' .wh"-6h" 'public opinion should force,this matter to an issue. If th© local bodies concerned are too apathetic # take voluntary steps along the lines indicated then they should be aroused "and forced into action. -■■ ■