MEN ON THE BEACH

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1935, Page 9

MEN ON THE BEACH

SYDNEY CONTROVERSY. THE QUESTION OF “SHORTS." Sydney, January IL A keen battle is being fought about what Sydney men are to wear, or not to wear, on the beaches. A local government ordinance is Supposed at present to govern bathing costumes. It, however, was formulated 27 years ago, and if prescribes a “neck-to-knee” costume, which, by tacit consent and ridicule, has long been ignored. The present backless costumes no more conform to the ordinance than an autocracy conforms to a Communist’s ideal of government. Yet the old ordinance stands, but a controversy has arisen on the question whether men should be allowed to wear only swimming shorts, which leave the body bare to the waist, both back and front. The seaside councils are most concerned in the amusing controversy about 1 shorts, for they employ inspectors whose duty it is to see that decency is preserved on the beaches. But the poor inspectors are so perplexed that they cannot tell what falls short ,of the accepted standard. With costumes so far departed from the official standard, they have to rely on the standard which usage sets. Customs and fashions change/and the councils themselves, unable to make a standard, have decided almost- unanimously to hold a conference, which, will advise the Minister of Local Government, Mr. Spooner, in his onerous task of censoring costumes, or, rather, of apprbv- ' mg a design which will conform to reasonable standards while permitting a bather the maximum benefit from sun and sea on the body. The councils and the Minister themselves are looking for guidance from the Surf Life Saving Association, comprising clubs which do so much valuable work in controlling the beaches of Sydney. The association itself is divided on the question whether the wearing of bathing shorts by men should be sanctioned. Thrice its council has met to decide the matter. Thrice the vote has been so close that the Minister cannot assure himself that the council’s decision is one to guide him. On the last occasion that tire council discussed shorts it decided, by a majority of three votes out of nearly 50, to approve them., Mr. Spooner states that he intends to bring before Parliament a type of costume not quite so scanty as shorts. This costume is . backless, but partly covers the chest, a supporting strap passing behind the neck. The motion for approval of shorts was carried by the council of the association chiefly on the argument that they were now the rule in many countries abroad. But that argument was turned against the Mayor of Mosman, Mr. Wallace, who had sanctioned the wearing of shorts on beaches in his municipality. When he asked his council to ratify his provisional sanction he found the majority of members against him, many of the aidermen arguing that there was no need for Australia to do what other countries did. So the involved battle goes on.