INDECENT EXPOSURE.—ST. CLAIR BATHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8416, 13 February 1889, Page 3

INDECENT EXPOSURE.—ST. CLAIR BATHS.

[ TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—Being a constant bather at St. Clair, perhaps you will permit ma to say a word or two on the subject which has been gceatly t-xer-cising the fingers if not the brains or some of your correspondents. As some of your contributors do not appear to have the smallest iclf a of what indecent exposure in such a case uiuaus, let me cite the law as contained in the following nutshell :— " It is unlawful for men to bathe, without auy screen or covering, so near to a public footway frequented by females that exposure of their persons must necessarily occur; and they who co bathe are liable to an indictment for indecency. JS'or is it any defence to such an indictment that there has been, ss long as living memory extends, an usage so to bathe at the place ; and that there has been no exposure beyond what is necessarily incident to such bathing."

If the evidence adduced by the prosecutor was at all credible, it is difficult to see how the cese can be excluded from the scope of the above definition.

Observant visitors must often have seen the want of mode sty shown, in contravention of the rules of the bath, by many who attend there. I do not go the length of sajing that there is any intention of shocking the feelings of others; but the result is the same, whatever the intention may be, and there is clearly much room for interference on the ground of modesty both by policeman and bathkeeper. Here let me further point to two other evils of an equally serious nature to that which formed the basis of the prosecution :—(1) Bathing along the beach immediately before you come to the bath. I have seen often good big lads bathing there iv sight of everybody, without anything on in the shape of bathing trunks. The drowning case which happened about a year ago put a stop to this for a time, but it appears to have commenced again. Evih of this nature require to 'oo put down with a strong baud, and not by unmeasured abuse of the policeman who tries to do his duty. It would probably tend to mend matters if a small charge were made for admission, tho bnih fenced round about entirely, and all parts of it made visible at a glance to policeman or caretaker. i

Great evil is done by foolish letters, such as have appeared in this case, from men who evidently know nothing about the matter. The impression is created that these letters are in the main written more from personal friendship for the family of the accused than from any comprehension of the merits of the case, and I doubt if they would have appeared had the accused been the sou of poor and unknown parents.

I would have left the matter where the magistrates left it had your correspondents been content to leave well enough alone. There is, however, a very serious aspect of the case not touched, and it is this: Can policemen be expected to do their duty if to-day they are abused because of some eUeged dereliction of duty and to-morrow abused because th«y have done what they conscientiously believed to be their duty ? If this grossly unfair method of dealing is continued, it is not difficult to see that the public must b» the sufferers in tho long run. I have, as you will set; from ni3 T came, no interest in screening the police, nor have I any enmity against the accused, as I do not know him by sight even ; but I love fair play.—l am, &c, Febriury 12. A Batiiee.

TO THE EDITOR,

Sir,—l was heartily glad to see the letter of " Pro Bono Publico" in your issue of this date (12th)^ It is a healthy contrast to the hysterical ravings of such letters as iScobie Mackenzie and W. H. Reynolds; these men should have listened to the whole of the evidence produced in court before they put their pens to paper. Besides, as M.L.C.'s and M.H.R.'k, they have special avenues of redressing any fancied wrongs instead of indulging in uncalled-for attacks on the police in the correspondence columns of a newspaper. The following points appear to me worthy of public note :—Had the offender been a poor lad, do you think there would have been the same rushing about to whitewash him—the assembling of testifying elders and so forth ? How came Mr 11. S. Fish to occupy a seat on the bench that day ? AVas it the day set down in the list for his tour of J.P. duty ? Would not a second R.M. be of great value to justice in this district to take all the Police Court work? It would certainly be more satisfactory to the public and tho police than the present J.P. system and its abuses.

Now, one word for Sergeant Macdonell. He is, in my opinion, the model policeman of Otago; thoroughly upright, conscientious, and painstaking—not vindictive or impulsive; and so much do I think of his character that if he were to leave the police to-morrow, I should do my best_ either to find him employment myself or get it for him from others.—l am, &c, February 12. Citizen.

_ [As no possible goad can result from a continuance of the discussion, we have decided to close this correspondence.—Ed. O.D.T,]