BATHERS UB REBELLION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1479, 29 June 1912, Page 13

BATHERS UB REBELLION.

Melbourne, is not-alone in' pbssessihg a ' bathing problem which Mrs." Grundy is ever scsV.iilg to '-convert into a "bntn.ing scandal," writes' the Kuglish correspond- 1 ent of tho 1 ' iqhdqriers also havo of:'those. who object to -uiixed: baSome weeks.. ago I refcri;e , dvJtoV/tfi ; B\%iied.;lMthiris. , f!i the municiparb.iths. The controversy has. now been moyedii'to;- Southend, wiiich. is ; tho nearest seaside resort .to. tli© motropo- : lis, and may 'J^'Tegardcil-'iif'lionijoji- by' tho sea. At Southend, if lias, long ' the prae'ico fur rciidenls to 'in'duh;e in , 'n^ackintofh : They Ti;iyp l>een| accustomed tpi siip.; cloSlcs ,'pp maekihtbslies'' over their epsiurjes iiiift Jiaye: their dips after, shedding the extra garment at the waterside. Tlie eo-.'poiation recently decidetl.'.ihjit: ''ijiackiiifpsft Biitb- ' ing' must cease;-'lia's.f. .seaspn on'e .uiifor-, hinato lady was. c'v'c-n hailed by the municipal po!ice, :/and : eoiiipl'l iefl to "coino out," the o£B&'r 5 4b1eirin1y''taki.hg.hei' mirno and address whiie; she ' shiverod iii the cold. Nothing , came of the .'formality.;; Tho mackintosh'''p)¥ther.s;' at- 'Soutliend havo therefore. ' regAiiied ...c'diir'aje; . They, propose to defy-''JtKjT E'-v® hundred stalwaif. auti-Ciriindyites are arranging to as^embld'^'.iii.'. bathiiig:.. gown's--; and overcoats, and! inarch .through tho streets to tho -very bcach. .Therej '. urHler ■ tho eyes of tiio astonished policemen; Uiey are to 111ro\v;;ofi v :their ''cloaks and jplun'go into tho inviting Avaters, Jcaving' tlie corporation ta arrest lln; ">OO. law-bveakcrs, if they can. Somo. lijiier lailics, recalling the popularitv of 'bath-iojvc! 1 ing'' as :: .a dress material •tlciignjngs a 'Cloak of tho ptutT, ;-;pecja!ly for.' the-' run from hous» to -seashore. 'J'hey expect to put tl;e town council ,in a' ra'd. fiuandary. It will: ,:: :l>eh)io. ; ''casy: ..niatter for uninstructed town councillor to .deci'do whether the new •"bathttowvliing" ' gar-, inent is a mero wrap or a fiill .costume such as Mrs.-.Grundy herself might wear in the streets of -Southend ■' without offence. : ■

Meanwhile t"' lc Conncil' has j not been of bathing regulations. Here are some typical clauses?.. . .. : . ....... "A person bf-l ; tho': : feinare while bathing, approach ..within 2o yards of any place at which any. person of the malo s«x abaveiijthe^asftspffjO;::years:'.may' exclusively bo set doivn. for tho purpos? of bathing, or- ■ may bathe." ;[Thi's is hofcovi-iv ling'iish.l "A male persbn.'a.bpyo..®the oT oii^lit. years shall not use- any inofhiii" ..which' shall bo used. or is intended to be used, by a feinalo pcrsoii:'f!%y?'? : - The opponents of.'tlKV-Scmtlieiul Cour.cil allege thai tho. oxplanatiqn. of the. r.hmici-: pal attitude owns the whole, i'prcsiiore; The new' jaw's are framed lvitlf' thojobject... :ot'--ihcW , p , vns': the pier to use poV'nd .a season is charged for each box. • Meanwhile rival that: they put no imcoroiprtable ...restrictions upon bathers/?;inixcd: : ~;Margate, Hastings,';:l'o;kestori^:.l)Gyeri : mouth, Cromer, ar.d.-Hexhijl are nn-.m!.'.-the well-knoiviii^seasidol^reforis; 'wlierc. mixed bathers are w;^le6mc(l;:T]ic v nf;: machine, of nowadays. Instead, there is the:bkthinjhut, rariwted ,and furnished. One V;-ai advantago arising, from' .tho.-.ii-.cre.-is'ed facilities has b'een:.'.the;.gfeate.rCnumber women'who have-ildtrnt/toV^tAv,/;.,.. „- v