BEAUTY CONTESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19496, 27 November 1926, Page 12

BEAUTY CONTESTS.

PROTEST FROM METHGDiSTS,

EFFECT ON COUNTRY'S MORALS,

Beauty competitions and the attendant displays of physical charm were condemned by the Auckland District Methodist Synod at yesterday's meeting. The Rev. G. 8. Cook moved:—"That

this synod expresses deep regret at the promotion in this city of beauty competitions, and at some of the displays associated therewith. We regard these as calculated to lower the sense of modesty and self-respect of the young womanhood of the Dominion, and earnestly request the newspapers and business firms of the city to discourage any further competitions of this character."

Mr. Cook said similar resolutions had been passed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Sydney Methodist Synod.

"I am sure we al! highly value the womanhood of this Dominion, and that, generally speaking, we have a high opinion of our newspapers," he added. "It is nevertheless an unfortunate fact that the young womanhood of New Zealand is being exploited in the interests of the circulation of certain newspapers, and in order to fill the coffers of the proprietors of picture palaces and other- amusement places."

While it was scarcely to be credited that these young women knew when they entered the contest what they would be letting themselves in for, the fact remained that the "bathing costume parade" of their physical charms in places of amusement was witnessed by crowds among whom were at least some who gloated over the exhibition. He had been informed that the reason for a crowd of people gathering in front of a certain Queen Street picture theatre recently was that in the vestibule of the theatre portraits were being displayed of some of the competitors so clad. It was a painful reflection that such a thing could be tolerated in the principal street of New Zealand's principal city. They could learn some lessons from history, he thought. Herodotus once said, "When woman begins to leave off her clothes, she begins to leave off her modesty." He hoped the community would refuse to tolerate any longer these American importations such as "surf sirens," "October brides," and beauty contests, which had recently so lowered the moral tone of Australian and New Zealand life, and which threatened the modesty of their; womanhood. Other members of synod supported the 1 resolution, which was unanimously carried. The Minister of Internal Affairs is also to be written to on certain phases of the matter.