BATHING REGULATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15895, 21 January 1924, Page 5

BATHING REGULATIONS.

WHAT IS A PROPER COSTUME? . TEST CASE TAKEN. ' "TECHNICAL AND'TRIVIAL." .according to general opinion a twopiece bathing costume usually implies the form of swimming garb J?nown as the Canadian suit, but evidently the borough by-lay is capable of other interpretation. At least the defence put up by Mr A. E. Webb, vi»o, as a member of the Borough ► iyuncil, helped to make the by-laws, * Tnd who, in his legal role, was called upon to pick a loop-hole in them, would serve to show that a one-piece costume with a pair of "V's" over them, suffices for needs of male bathers. The case, which is one of considerable interest to Lake patrons, concerned a young man named Charles Harling, who was charged under the borough by'-laws with bathing at the Hamilton Lake in other than' a proper and sufficient two-piece garment, reaching from the neck to the knees, and with loitering between the bathing shed and the water to sun-bathe. • Mr Webb contended that the bylaw did not explain what was meant by a two-piece costume, and that the covering worn by defendant, a singlepiece costume with a pair of "V's"— the regulation club suit—complied with the law's requirements. Harling's costume was the one used by the great majority of Lake bathers. , In regard to the chai'b« of sunbathing, Mr Webb mentioned that,the Council had passed a resolution asking the police not to prosecute provided Ihe sun-bathers kept within a chain of tiie shed. The town clerk had, in fact, caused notices to be erected to the iffect that sun-bathing was allowed within the confines of the shed. It was admitted by the prosecution that the costume was a two-piece costume, but it was contended rieverthe■ss that it was not a proper two-piece ac. For one thing, it was excessively rtit, and, in fact, within the .borders indecency. Numerous complaints 1 been received of insufficiently 1 bathers promenading on the Lake <re, and the only remedy Avas to ig a test case. Although the Co.unhad passed a resolution asking the ice not to prosecute in cases of sunning within a chain of the bathing .icd, the by-law had: not been • amended, and there it stood. Constable Floyd gave evidence of defendant sun-bathing a few feet from ;he water, clad in a none too generous ccstume. For one tiling, it did not reach to the knees. To Mr Webb: Witness had never seen bathers wearing costumes that extended to their knees. , His Worship said that an offence had been committed against both by-laws a- they stood. However, the breaches ■ere of a technical nature, and he ould dismiss them on the grounds of iviality.