BATHING COSTUMES ON THE BEACHES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 967, 7 November 1910, Page 4

BATHING COSTUMES ON THE BEACHES.

■Sir,—The Mayor's astonishing Teraarks as reported •' in your issue to-day that "anyone guilty of indecency would bo prosecuted,, and the case carried to the bitter end; the beach would be made a decent resort where anyone could go," com© as a surprice. Has anyone suggested that indecency should bo tolerated? Or is it proposed that city councillors and their employee's should bo the final judges of what costumes shall be adopted; in other words, of what clothing shall be worn on the beaches? I doubt if the city council bas such legal powers. The decision of the S.M. at Suinuer, whero similar petty tyranny was attempted, u;as adverse to "Bumbledon" in this respect. Exposure of the skin of tho body and legs does not constitute indecency; only a morbid and unhealthy imagination could regard it so. Reasonable bathing pants aTe sufficient for tho male animal. Bathing in clothing is injurious, tho evaporation from it in tlio wind' and sun unduly chills tho body and prejudicially affects the skin. The best results from sea bathing are attained by exposing tho skin to tho effects of tho sun and air, and the bad results of wet clothing are avoided by dropping the body covering entirely, a practico which to most people of sound sense is more correct than tho adoption of an inordinate amount of superfluous clothing. Order and deeoncy must bo preserved. No one has suggested otherwise. But the city council is not entitled to regulate fashion in dress; it should, and doubtless will, do its utmost to prevent breaches of the law, but it is not yet empowered to prcseribo the fashion of the breeches we wear. If somo morbidminded "Bumbles" have their way wo should have to wear tin covers from our necks to our heels. "We shall yet sco whether tho Mayor is the legally constituted judge of dress, and whether departuro from his dictum of the preciso dimensions of our pants constitutes indecency. I hopo you have misreported tho Mayor's remarks; they really, as reported,' seem too intemperate and narrow-minded to be correct, and if so, I apologise for having misjudged him.—l.am, etc., ■ r „ . SENEX. [Our report is correct.]