BEACH BATHING.

NZ Truth, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 4

BEACH BATHING.

SURF SWIMMING AT ST. CLAIR.

An Undertow Scare.

Saiuts Shocked by "Indecency."

The matter of surf-bathing at St. Clair isn't going to be allowed to drop without a struggle. The other day charges against three young fellows for bathing on the beach were dismissed owjag- to the Domain Board's counsel not being ready to go on. The Board has a bylaw to the effect that no bathing . wbat- I evar shall take place on the beach, but about four years ago, m consequence of a' request from St. Kilda people, who had n6 baths m their houses, permission was granted to allow swimming between 5 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. The three young fellows m question were charged with having bathed on the beach about 11 a.m., but, according to Mr Callan, who looked after them m the Dunedin -Police Court, the Board was frightened to make any big endeavor to enforce its regulations. As a result of the feeling stirred up on the question, the Board, at its last meeting, thoroughly discussed the matter. The chairman said the by-law was made m 1895, most probably .because the beach was unsafe for bathing ; but he railed to explain whether ' or not the beach was less unsafe during the early morning hours which had 'been set apart for bathers. The chairman also made a point of the nunnber of cases of drowning which had occurred on this beach and on the beach further along, and he said there was a big undertow. An undertow is not the most pleasant thing m the v world, but it's bettable that where one exists everybody will treat it with respect. One member came to light with the brilliant suggestion that as there were baths at St. < Clair there was no . need for people risking their lives m the breakers. He might as well have said that any man who has a trip-bath at home shouldn't need to use a swimmingbath. Surf bathing is a thing by itself, there is nothing "just as good," and it is impossible to pass off a. spurious imitation. Another member wanted, to know whether picnickers cooM have any pleasure if the beach were covexed with people indiscriminately bathing ; and another laid it down that if women /and children were allowed to bathe at all times the beach wouldn't be "^teceat.". He was advised to go to Wellington and ' see the surf-bathing there; but he said that the St. Clair beach was "a public place" and they had to consider the picnickers. Evidently the beaches at Lyall Bay (Wellington), arid Sumner and Brighton (Christchurch) are not "public places." The chairman said that if the board had been approached recently it would probably have agreed to extend the morning hours to 10 a.m. This seems to prove that if it is pushed sufficiently the Board will consent to forget altogether about the alleged danger to life' and decency and allow people to bathe on the beach wherever and whenever theyi . lite. The Board finally decided to form itself into a committee to go into the whole matter. . In the "Otago Daily Times" the other day a rich note signed "St. Clair Resident." It was m the correct style adopted 'by very pure people when they conceive their morals to be badly shocked, and the wording suggested that some humorist had written the note to ridicule the attitude of the "unco 1 quid" towards those who delight m having the sea and the sun pretty dose to the skin. The note is so fine that "Truth" will repeat a few passages, for the benefit of those who don't read the stodgy old "Times" : "The by-law, I am. certain, was not framed because of the danger of surfbathing, but m the interests of decency. To St. Clair each evening, and on every available opportunity, the people of Dunedin^ go, seeking to get away from the worries of the business world. Young couples holding an affec- > tion for each other look upon, it as the "Lovers' Paradise." Young and old mingle on the St. Clair beach. Unfortunately, the Dunedin larrikins also visit St. Clair. His morals are not all a respectable person would desire. His mind is given to evil thinking and bis moutjn io evil thinking." , This last sentence- is apparently pot m by (the writer as an extra credential as to his unimpeaceable respectability — if s, a sure sign of extraordinary decency when a .man writes or speaks Biblical gags. We are then toM about the fearful doings of the hnpwre larrikin : .If the present by-law forbidding surfbathing after seven o'clock ajn. is declared void, this person will grasp the opportunity thns given, him, and it will be almost impossible, on Sundays "especially, to walk along Ocean Beach without tripping over some of these beings. No' young man with any respect fox a young . lady ' would think of taking her along the beach when one cannot tell what one may meet or see. » This is all very shocking ; but it is )to be remembered that things are very much that way at present. It is quite impQssible to walk along the beach without tripping over innumerable of the young friends of "St. Clair Resident" whom he would like to spoonfeed by setting up near the beach the following sign :— "Lovers' Paradise ; No admittance except on business." One "cannot tell what one may meet or see," but m nine 1 cases out of ten he can guess pretty near. Then "St. Clair Resident" tells us of a shocking incident !— ' "A few Sunday mornings ago, as the. congregations of the St. Clair churches were returning home from Divine worship, they were met by a party of surfbathers, the, originality of whose dress was marked. Some of the males wore pyjamas, others pants and shirts, and the ladies overcoats.* This may not be indecency, but I am certain it is not ; decency. Take away the existing bylaw, and crowds, . even more motley I than that one, will become as frequent as the shells of the sea shore." ! These fearful proceedings would knock ' half an hour m a Lovers' Paradise into a cocked hat. It is horrid to contemplate a young lady who regards the beach as sacred to the uses of a Lovers' Paradise, coming home from, church, and seeing. a surf-bather's bare feet as he toddled home to kai. Sue would faint for sure— it would be her duty as a respectable woman to do so. As to men wearing pants and shirts, that's enough to cause another faint, though "it is understood" that these articles are fairly generally worn by men m the streets, especially by those who wish to make a concession to Mrs G-rundy by appearing m clothes which wiU cover their nakedness. It's to be hoped that" these views of "St. Clair Resident" don-'t represent iue views of many people, but it is marvellous the number of prurient wowsers who can be found anywhere, as witness the recent outbreak of wowseritis regarding surf-bathing m Christchurch. "Truth" acknowledges that there is some danger m allowing beach bathing at all hours, but if "St. Clair Resident" and other morbid molluscs and prurient praters were warned off the beach for life, that element of danger wouM disappear.