"WHO'LL HOLD THE HANDKERCHIEF”

Southland Times, Issue 17599, 11 March 1914, Page 5

"WHO'LL HOLD THE HANDKERCHIEF”

BEACH BATHING IN AUCKLAND. IN Di GNANT RATEPAYERS. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND. March 10. Serious complaints as to immodest behaviour of Sunday bathers on Midford beach were made at a meeting of the Takapuna Ratepayers’ Association last evening, one of the ratepayers strongly urging that the situation now called for more adequate police supervision. The subject cropped up on a suggestion that the Tramway Coy. should bo asked to erect signposts to guide visitors to Takapuna beach.

Mr Mahoney questioned the desirableness of taking any stops to attract to the vicinity of the lake in view of what happened at Milford beach. He thought it was just as well that visitors should go right on to the terminus of the tramway. "The scenes witnessed on Milford beach on Sundays are really disgraceful.” he continued. “With hundreds of people about bathers lie on the beach, and you can see grown up young women lying there almost nude. 1 strongly believe that a second constable should he appointed on account of the most offensive attitude taken up hy the bathers of both sexes from morning till night. If 1 had a young daughter I would on no account allow her to go down on Milford beach and see the crowd there," warmly concluded the speaker. Mr W. Blomfield joined in the last speaker’s protest against the behaviour of bathers, but pointed out that tho borough council were going to put up commodious bathing stations. Speaking of immodest behaviour of young women. Mr Blomfield mentioned an incident when a "young lady" shouted out to her friends. "Whose going to hold the hankerchief while L undress." Mr Mahoney observed that even if bathing stations were erected it would not entirely check the nuisance, as most of the offensive behaviour complained of look place after bathing.