SHOPPING IN SCANTY ATTIRE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 103, 25 January 1935, Page 7

SHOPPING IN SCANTY ATTIRE

Beach Beauties and Gandhi TAKAPUNA COUNCILLOR CONCERNED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, January 24. After a candid discussion last night, the Takapuna Borough Council decided that it had no power to deal with the wearing of bathing suits in the streets, even if they were objectionable. A woman member of the council, Mrs. Blomfield, urged that a by-law be passed prohibiting the wearing of bathing costumes without wraps in the main streets and shopping areas She said that a number of girls were doing their Friday night shopping clad only in scanty bathing suits. The police had been spoken to, but they said tney could take no action. . The Mayor, Mr. J. Guiniven, said that the council could not prescribe the type of attire to be worn in the streets. "Gandhi goes into the highest society clad only in a shirt,” he said. "If they can’t stop such things in England, there is not much chance of doing it in Takapuna.” Ninety-live per cent, of women wearing the new style of bathing costumes were married, and many were ranked among the most respectable in Auckland. It could not be proved in court that sii 'h women were dressing indecently. Next year, he thought, costumes which were being criticised this year would pass unnoticed. A councillor said that one woman had been seen in the shopping area wearing only shorts and brassiere. • The Mayor: Would you say she was immoral? Mrs. Blomfield said she was concerned with the wearing of uncovered bathing suits in the streets, but the Mayor retorted that if a costume were decent and moral on the beach it was decent and moral on the street. It bad to be remembered that Takapuna was a seaside resort.