ETHICS ON MIXED BATHING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2116, 15 February 1908, Page 1

ETHICS ON MIXED BATHING.

There seems to bo a good deal of trouble iu le.-pect to the mixed bathwiliicJi iukcs place at Sydney, this summer. The (Sydney newspapers publish long account of " Uned(lying Spectacles, ’ and criticise the actions of both men 'and women 'bathers. The “Daily Telegraph” ■says that the summary indictment of the school boy who, when asked to describe the 'manners and customs of the savage inhabitants of a South Sea island wrote: “Manners, none; customs, beastly;” could, without injustice, have been lodged agaiimt a considerable proportion of the surfha tilers at Coogce on a recent Sunday. In the morning fully 1000 mixed bathers shared the surl and sand, and there were more than half that number in the afternoon. It was tho exception to see the ordinary “V,” insisted upon at Manly and Bondi, as part of the neck-to-kneo costume, being worn by men. The women were mostly attired the same way as the men, who fell short of what is prescribed as conforming with decency at the “regulated” beaches. Tho popular pastime of the women appeared to be throwing somersaults, m the water, a couple of men assisting each performer. Nearly as popular, and seemingly quite as diverting to all concerned, was lifting women out of one wave and immersing them in the next- All amusements, however, were confined to the surf ; there was no horse-pi i.v on the sand. Over a dozen uniformed police saw* to flint: There were Perhaps 2000 persons, of both sexes yuu-'ba thing. About twice that number of men and women were watching them across tho esplanade wall. How bent the latter were upon I'pittin'’" shocked could bo best discovered by making an effort to squeeze into a position lrom which to obtain a view of tlio beach. I heir indignation at the spectacle might have Loon pretended, says the Daily Icle orapli,” but their wrath at ran attempt. however commendable, to shut them out of it, certainly was not.