WOMEN’S ATTIRE

Southland Times, Issue 22489, 25 January 1935, Page 7

WOMEN’S ATTIRE

APPAREL ON STREETS. WEARING OF BATHING COSTUMES. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, January 24. After a candid discussion last night the Takapuna Borough Council decided that it had no power to deal with the wearing of bathing suits in the streets, even if they were objectionable. A woman member of the council, Mrs Blomfield, urged that a _ by-law be passed prohibiting the wearing of bathing costumes without wraps in the main streets and the shopping area. She said a number of girls were doing their Friday night shopping clad only in scanty bathing suits. The police had been spoken to, but they said they could take no action.

The Mayor, Mr J. Guiniven, said the council could not prescribe the type of attire to be worn in the streets.

“Gandhi goes into the highest society clad only in a shirt,” he said. “If they can’t stop such things in England, there is not much chance of doing it in Takapuna.” Ninety-five per cent, of the women wearing the new style of costumes were married, and many were ranked among the most respectable in Auckland, said the Mayor. It could not be proved in Court that such women were dressing indecently. Next year he thought that costumes which were criticized this year would pass unnoticed. A councillor said one woman had been seen in the shopping area wearing only shorts and a brassiere.

The Mayor: “Would you say she was immoral?” Mrs Blomfield said she was concerned with the wearing of uncovered bathing suits in the streets, but the Mayor retorted that if a costume was decent and moral on the beach it was decent and moral on the street. It had to be remembered that Takapuna was a seaside resort.