Dear Friends,
I hope your plans for the summer are well in hand - lots of sun, fun and company. I am looking forward to meeting my far-flung friends in my travels around the country.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING: A Special General Meeting of the Free Beach Group has been called on 12 December, 1982, at 104 Fanshawe Street, at 7 p.m. to consider the following resolution:- "That the quorum at General Meetings of the Free Beach Group (Inc.) be altered to thirty."
CHRISTMAS SOCIAL: Will be held at the Fanshawe Street sauna on 12 December, 5 - 10 p.m. BYOG and a plate. Adults $5, children $2.50. There will be no social on 5 Dec.
DIRECTORY: I am pleased with the new Directory, which divides us up very nicely into "beach families". Those of you who didn't give a beach preference, I have listed in districts, as in your old directory. I hope by next year, everyone will have a favourite beach to go to.
The Directory is available only to those who are listed in it, so for the benefit of members who don't get one, these are the beaches being used throughout New Zealand:-
| Waitata Bay | Lake Wainamu | Mellons Bay, Howick |
| Bland Bay | Karekare | Waikawau, Coromandel |
| Uretiti | Huia | Papamoa |
| Pakiri North | Ladies Bay | Waimarama |
| Omaha | Musick Point | Back Beach, New Plymouth |
| Goat Island | Dynamite Bay | Peka Peka |
| Orewa North | Tawhitokino | Rabbit Island, Nelson |
| Long Bay | Rotoroa Island | Kaiteriteri |
| St.Leonards | Little Palm Beach, | Takaka |
| Herne Bay | (Waiheke) | Waimairi, Christchurch |
DIARY: We hope you will all turn up. at your own beach every time the sun is shining. If you want to be sure of company, especially on a week day, ring around the people on your list, and arrange to go together. Do use your Directory lists, when you are travelling around, and when you want to try a new beach.
BEACH DAYS: The December Beach Day will be held on Sunday, December, at Long Bay. High tide 11.50 a.m. New members assemble beside the stream at the north end of Long Bay at 10.30 a.m. From there we walk around to the second beach along (Pohutukawa Bay). Bring a picnic lunch, drink, towel, sunhat and suntan lotion. If you arrive after the tide has come in, walk over the track along the top of the cliff.
The January Beach Day will be held at Omaha, on Sunday, 16 January. High tide 10.15 a.m. From Warkworth drive to Matakana, then follow the signs to Omaha. Walk east about 15 minutes, watch out for our flag.
COUNTRY MEMBERS: Any member coming to Auckland, either contact others through your new Directory (refer to the beach you require), or ring me at 836-2979, or Paddy at 559-626.
SAUNA: The final night at Clive Green's, 14 Federal Street, will be on 19 December, with a social evening from 5 - 10 p.m. BYOG and a plate, tea and coffee provided. $3 single, $5 double, children under 15, free.
ROUND THE BAYS RUN: We hope to field a team in this event next year, wearing our Fred Bear Tee shirts. Let Julie know if you'd like to run with us, phone 413-9454.
FREE BEACH RALLY: At Ngatuhoa Lodge, 29 - 31 January, 1983. Adults $6, children under 12 $3. Send your money to Charles Saggers, 218 Papamoa Beach Road, R.D.7, Te Puke, phone Tauranga 57-497. Take all your food except milk (there is no refrigerator), sleeping bag, pillow, torch, towel, walking shoes, raincoat, indoor games. Meet at 10.145 a.m. at the corner of McLaren Falls Road, State Highway 29, on the right going towards Tauranga. For enquiries please contact Charles.
CAMPING SPOTS: We are still short of suitable places where we can camp au naturel. Do let us know of any places you come across in your travels - you might have company next time!
Papamoa: Charles Saggers is offering accommodation to members and friends at 218 Papamoa Beach Road, R.D.7, Te Puke, phone Tauranga 57-497. A furnished room with two single beds, small cooker, adjacent toilet and shower, $12 a night. Also a caravan, sleeps three, with power, $12 a night. Room on the lawn for others, so do call in, you'll be very welcome, and you'll love his spa pool!
Waikawau: Directions in your Beach List. Nude camping possible in the field across the road. Very popular.
Bland Bay: Camping on Maori Marae and Lands and Survey camp. For details contact Bill Main, R.D. 4, Hikurangi, phone 875 Whangaruru.
Uretiti: Two camping sites, one in the pine trees on an unmarked side road (next to a truck weighing platform), and the other down Tip Road, as described in your Beach List. Local contact Stuart McCabe, phone 82-581 Whangarei.
Kai-iwi Lakes: North of Dargaville, turn left at Maropiu, follow signs to camping ground at lake. Recommended by various members who tried it last year.
Pakiri North: Camp at Te Arai Point, directions in your Beach List.
Geyserland Leisure Park: Orakei Korako. Contact Rotorua Sun Club, P.O. Box 1007, Rotorua, for information.
Mapua Leisure Park: c/o Post Office, Mapua, phone 666.
Takaka: Members Sandy and Marcia Heslop invite us to camp on their farm in Rototai Road, Takaka, Nelson. Water, fireplace, loo, no power. Right on the beach.
Spirits Bay: From Kaitaia travel north 70 miles, turn off at Waitaki Landing tearooms and follow signs to Spirits Bay. Camping at Lands and Survey camp. Miles of room, ample water, flush loos fabulous beach, $2 per site per day.
Rarawa: Turn off about 8 miles north of Houhora, metal road two miles. Lands and Survey camp, water and toilets, surf beach (gentle). For information phone Margaret, 659-509.
SUN CLUB GROUNDS: Just a reminder, that Free Beach members are not always welcome on Sun Club grounds - it depends on the club. So check first. This includes Sun Club Open Days, which are promotional events for prospective members. Any combined activities between the Free Beach Group and the Sun Clubs will be advertised in these newsletters.
INSIGHT PROGRAMME: Broadcast 17 October, 10 a.m. on 1YA. A very good programme on social nudity in New Zealand. The following is a slightly abridged transcript of remarks made by Inspector Dave Kerr, from the Police Legal Section:
"We don't have laws concerning passive nudity, or behaviour that involves nothing more than mere nudity."
In explanation of 'offensive behaviour',
"...the offensive conduct must be such as is likely to arouse feelings of resentment or revulsion in persons whose views are representative of the community, having regard to the time, place and circumstances of the behaviour." e.g. "What may be acceptable on certain beaches around New Zealand would certainly not be acceptable in the main street of the town."
With regard to 'nude bathing',
"...by and large nude bathing has become popular in certain areas of the country, and to a large extent we don't get complaints from the general representatives of community standards. We do get the odd complaint from people who feel that it's a lowering of community standards and want the police to take some action, but of course their views are not as relevant as those of the general community at large in that area, at that time, place and circumstance.
A good example of that is the Rodgers Case ... the Court considered firstly the complaints that had been received by the police, but secondly and more importantly, they considered the fact that there was a family of fifteen people very close by this man Rodgers on the beach: they had shown no resentment or revulsion at the behaviour; had not moved away; had not made any complaints; and the Court took their behaviour as an indication that Rodgers' behaviour on the beach was acceptable to them; and in summing up, the Judge considered that family of fifteen was more representative of community standards than were the views of the two complainants."
Have there been any prosecutions on the basis of nude bathing in recent years?
"No. Rodgers' Case was the last major case that I recall, and that was in 1975 ... What has happened is that the community in various places in New Zealand have accepted that either topless or nude bathing in certain areas is not going to raise any eyebrows or cause complaints. Now providing the nude bathing or topless bathing is confined to those areas, I doubt if we'll get complaints. It's only when a person or group of persons tries to create for themselves a nude or topless bathing beach somewhere new, that we're liable to get a spate of complaints, when we may have to take action because if it's foreign to the normal representatives of the community who frequent that beach, then the behaviour of nudists or topless bathers may be offensive to them."
BUFFY'S PET AND PLANT PARLOUR: St. Kevin's Arcade, opposite Rendells, K' Road, Auckland. New owner is our member Bernice, who is offering 10% discount to all FBG members, 25% on tropical fish, a dog clipping service - treat your dog to a flea collar - his membership to the club with no scratch and no fleas!
Happy Christmas and Good Sunning to you all.
