DECENT MEN’S WEAR FOR BATHERS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 82, 31 December 1934, Page 8

DECENT MEN’S WEAR FOR BATHERS

Trunks Becoming Popular DOCTOR FAVOURS NEW SUMMER FASHION It was apparent on Wellington beaches during the week-end that the question of the propriety of “shorts” lor men and boy bathers is being settled by tfie bathers themselves. , The brief “sunshine” garments made their appearance in still larger numbers, and among those who are frequenting the beaches the consensus of opinion appears to be that modern beach wear for men may safely be left to individ nal taste. Many men are effecting a compromise by wearing costumes while swimming, then removing the shoulder straps and stripping to the waist while sun-bathing and taking part in beach games. , , ' Discussing the attitude of the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Association, the secretary, Mr. F. Chapman, said on Saturday that when he raised the question of beach wear for men at the annual meeting of the association be had in mind the new “shorts” specially manufactured for use as such, and not either the lower piece of a twopiece suit or /a one-piece suit cut or rolled down. “This was made quite clear at the meeting,” he added. Prepared to Approach Police. > Mr. Chapman said that the association was prepared to place its conception of an adequate beach suit before the Commissioner of Police in order to establish unmistakably its attitude in the matter. “So far,’ he_said, “none of the local authorities has approached the association requesting a decision. Even in Australia the position is by no means settled, and a final decision by the local bodies has j’et to be reached. I moved the motion in the spirit in which it was passed, namely, to give a lead to the local bodies in deciding a question that must be cleared up sooner or later, and in the interests of uniformity throughout the Dominion.” ‘ Doctor Favours Shorts. A Wellington doctor, referring to the suitability or otherwise of the new vogue, described himself as a strong supporter of shorts alone for beach wear. “I cannot sufficiently emphasise the importance of allowing the young men of the couiitry complete freedom to knock about on the beaches and hills in this garb,” he said. “Most of us are city folk; the country people have never scrupled to abandon their shirts in hot weather—that you can see for yourself any time during harvesting. But the office workers cooped up all day inside have considerable arrears of sunshine to make up during their brief holiday. It would be a mistake if they were not allowed to make the most of that short period. “Of course the exposure of the torso to the sun should be very carefully regulated. While moderate sunbathing is definitely beneficial to the health, too much cun be equally harmful. By too much I refer to the Intensity and speed of the burning process, not to the area of skin exposed; the more of that the better,” he added, with a smile. “I think that iu these modern days it is universally accepted by educated people that there is nothin in itself indecent in a man’s sunbathing or going about the beach iu swimming shorts. Healthy European Attitude. • ' “During a recent visit to Europe I observed that health authorities both in England and on the Continent were encouraging sunbathing, not only among adujts, but even in the schools and health camps for children. Germany and Italy are leading the worid in this respect.' In the former country particularly men and women have adopted a very sound and reasonable outlook in their relationships. “It is conceded that nudity in itself is seldom nearly so indecent as the deliberately provocative dress affected by a great many women, particularly for evening wear. On the bathing beaches of the Lido and of the French and Italian, Rivieras, holiday resorts for the civilised society of Europe, shorts are the normal garb of bathers, and it would be wrong to consider moral standards there in any way deficient. Yet not only there, but in the most conservative English watering places, young men may bathe and stroll not only on the beaches, but often in the very streets, in shorts alone. “It is the public sentiment that dictates a moral code,” ’concluded the doctor. “If New Zealanders feel that the sight of a man stripped to the''waist suggests indecency to them, the moral standard, of the Dominion must be deplorably low, which I cannot believe to be the case. To any normal, educated, and civilised being, the woollen shorts, as recommended by the swimming clubs, .would appear a reasonable, healthy, and decent dress.” The following letters to The Editor of “The Dominion” on the subject of beach wear for men, have been received :—- Responsibility Shirked Sir, —It would appear that the civic authorities have shirked their responsibility in establishing a rule for beach wear in Wellington. Instead of disposing of the obsolete “neck-fo-knee” by-law and replacing it with one more suitable to modern life they have, seemingly, wiped out the only by-law in existence and left it to swimming authorities,’ whoever they are, to suggest a suitable rule. The result is that our young people are wearing as little as they please and, from all account, the police—who seem to be the only authorities entitled to act in the „ matter —are handicapped by having no standards on which to judge individual cases. It is high time the position was clarified.—l am, etc-., C.L.T. Wellington, December 30. Trunks Insufficient Sir, —Kindly allow me to refer to your article on Saturday dealing with the question of men wearing bathing trunks with no other garment when on our beaches. I wish to support the police constable nt Island Bay, who did his duty by taking the names of persons wearing such garments. So far he appears to be a voice crying in the wilderness, but I for one would offer him my congratulations. Bathing trunks may be sufficient in baths for males only, and for children, but the sight of grown men trying to act like little boys and going about in public wearing as little ns Borneo savages is an affront to decency and an insult to right-thinking people who are as much entitled to enjoy the sunshine on our benches as any almost naked young man. What are our women’s organisations doing that this new cult is going unopposed?—l am. etc.. DECENCY. Wellington. December 29.