# 163 - December 1997 

It was around 1951 when I first heard the song. The tune was cheerful and bouncy and the lyrics confident and youthful - and it swept the country. Probably because of the wholesomeness of the lyrics, schools quickly picked it up and soon we nine-year-olds joined the nation singing,

"I love to go a wandering, along the mountain trail, and as I go I love to sing, my knapsack on my back. Val-dere, Val-de-ra, Val-de-re..." and so on.

At our school it even reached the playground at lunch time. For a week or two we boys turned from playing swooping dive bombers and spitfires into lines of Happy Wanderers, imaginary knapsacks and all, stomping the, white tennis court lines to the rhythm of the song.

Only our parents had misgivings. The war had ended only a few years earlier, much of Europe still lay in ruins, and nearly all New Zealand communities had lost young men and women to it. For most families with school age children, Dad had fought there, and this song, "The Happy Wanderer", was of German origin, the quintessence of German youth, and in the view of our parents an affront.

Something else we did as kids possibly bore an odd connection to the song but I didn't know it then., Occasionally during the long hot summer holidays we would cycle north along the beach to the wild sand-hills beyond our town. Yellow lupin, flax and toi-toi were submerging the remains of a wartime military camp.

Now, whisper had it, a group of nudists could be seen there if you were lucky.

Photo: Richard West

If they were ever there when we set forth I doubt our approach would have gone unnoticed, so we never saw any. But on one visit I was able to confirm that they had indeed been there. Half buried in the sand I found the remnants of a small white booklet headed Sun and Health and even at nine I understood that euphemism for going nude.

Naturally, when we found the hills empty - when we confirmed we really were alone - we did as many small boys might do in the same situation, we became nudists ourselves. For the next hour or more we would enjoy our freedom.

We would splash into the brackish waters of the "Second Creek" to launch toi-toi spears at shadows on the far bank, or race from the cover of one lupin bush to another firing flax stick rifles at an imaginary enemy. Then, from the top of the highest dune, die heroically in a plunge to the bottom. The play was fraught with danger, of course. Just anyone discovering us would have brought our ruin, but it was also immensely nice and exhilarating - great play, innocent play.

Now I sometimes wonder if, as we rode forth why we didn't sing, "I love to go a wandering, Val-de-re, Val-dera..."

Perhaps we did.

On returning home to Northland this year, I was keen to introduce my new partner Terisha to the delights of frolicking naked on Uretiti Beach, approximately 45km south of Whangarei on the shores of Bream Bay.

I had fond memories of free beach rallies there, back in the 70s, when bus loads of nudists from Auckland would join the locals from Northern Sunseekers, for a day on the beach. There was great hilarity, kids making sand castles, plenty of vigorous exhilaration in the surf, a picnic lunch and always the inevitable volley ball net. That was way before beach volley ball became the thing to do.

Anyway it was nice to be back there. It seemed a little isolated without the hoards of yesteryear but had lost none of its magic. I plunged into the surf to relive the joys of body surfing au natural, so lovely to have the clear champagne-like waters caressing my body again. A real delight after the more murky waters of the North Shore and Auckland City.

Terisha loved dancing on the beach, in and out of the waves and racing over the sand dunes jumping for joy. It was wonderful to see her sense of freedom as she frolicked before a back drop of Whangrei Heads and the Hen and Chickens Islands. It was with great pleasure that I recorded images of her joyous dance with nature, trying to keep up with her romp, through the viewfinder.

Even though I haven't been active in the club scene for some years it's great to have the freedom to go natural the New Zealand way at the appropriate places and times in the course of one's everyday life. It speaks well of the level of tolerance within the community for those of us who choose to have a little more freedom in our play.

by Alan Harvey

Photo: Alan Harvey

In the last three issues we've looked at the origins and development of the attitude many parts of the Christian church have that nudism is sinful or, at least, not the sort of thing true and devout followers of Jesus Christ can engage in.

We've seen that St Paul, in his drive to make Christianity distinctive from Judaism, actually overlaid what he understood as Jesus' teaching with the ideas and thinking of the Greek and Roman philosophers. This gave rise to the notion that bodies are connected to man's basest instincts and lustful desires.

Augustine took Paul's teachings a stage further, added the beliefs he'd acquired as a Manichaean and then pushed his system until it became the civil law so things the Church of the time decreed sinful were made illegal.

Augustine's Paulian / Manichaean mongrel blend set the course for Christianity until the Reformation when Martin Luther and John Calvin re-assessed the Bible and came to the conclusion that sex within marriage was not wicked, after all. Calvin even called it "pure, honourable and holy".

It may not be an argument for nudism, but it was a significant turning point and laid the groundwork for changing society's rules.

They and their successors came to some important conclusions. They threw out the belief that natural impulses were inherently destructive and should be controlled. They went so far as to say that instincts were good and should be expressed and that human joy and perfection were suppressed by a restrictive society. And they didn't believe rejecting natural desires brought anyone closer to God.

Jesus himself said he had come that we may have life and have it to the full, not a narrow part as defined by the lawmakers, or Pharisees of our time.

So, are there valid Christian arguments against nudism? No!

In fact, the Old Testament and Gospel records seem to argue strongly that the naked Christian is closer to the whole truth and reality of the faith than those who insist they, and we, should cover up.

The only possible argument the conservative fundamentalists can hope to put forward is that naked bodies will inflame passions and lead to unbridled lust.

Nudity doesn't lead to sex, and as millions of teenagers through the years have discovered, nudity isn't a prerequisite for sex.

Experience also shows that kids who grow up with naked bodies around them from birth are less curious about what the other gender does or doesn't have and are far less likely to indulge in sex play or cause other problems later in life.

Arguments against nakedness have nothing to do with true Christianity but, as I mentioned last issue, throughout history, governments have used religion as an excuse to justify laws which cannot legitimately be defended.

And many who call themselves Christian give so little thought to what they supposedly believe, that they're far too willing to accept what their leaders tell them.

The most unfortunate aspect of the whole business is that many who could become Christians are put off because the faith is portrayed as a collection of behaviours, defined by the prefix, "Thou shalt not

"True Christianity is about freedom and living life to the full in close communion with God. If that relationship is maintained, a sense of responsibility and valid moral judgement tends to come with the package defined by prayer, meditation and study of the Gospel records.

What's more, Jesus was about giving all people equal dignity and value as human beings and children of God. We're much more likely to follow that example when the trappings of status, such as clothing are stripped away and each person is seen as they really are.

Christianity has enormous positives to offer and nudist Christians are far closer to that truth than those who keep clothes on or object to those of us who don't.

Photo: Brian Williams

However, history shows, and continues to show, that lust flares strongest among those whose knowledge of the opposite sex has been most restricted and suppressed.

Meanwhile, nudists around the world prove every day the nonsense of the fundamentalists' claims. Generally, it'd be harder to find a less sexual atmosphere than a gathering of nudists.

When I first discovered it, the internet was a strange land inhabited by "nerds". My first tentative step into "cyberspace" was to read about the subject. Books on the internet were full of jargon and acronyms: SLIP, PPP, UNIX, TELNET, FTP, FINGER, ARCHIE, GOPHER, USENET, and WWW. How would I ever make head or tail of it? It seemed that all the other people with modems were very knowledgeable computer buffs who ran "bulletin boards" and used a language of their own. All pretty daunting to a "newbie" like me.

That was two years ago. Nowadays using the internet has become "a piece of cake". The computer buffs are still there, busily working behind the scenes (where would we be without them?) but we ordinary mortals can use the internet as easily as we drive a car or tune in a TV.

This explosion of user-friendliness was caused by the introduction of the World Wide Web (WWW for short) and the development of very clever computer programs (Netscape and Explorer) which do all the donkey-work for you. With one of these programs in your computer you can travel the world at the speed of light (well, almost) just by clicking a button on your mouse.

Everyone has got in on the act. There are now more pages of information on the World Wide Web than there are humans on the planet. There is information on anything you care to name, and special sites called "Search Engines" to help you find it.

When I first put my "Naturism Home Page" on the internet in July 1996 there were only a few other naturist sites in the world. Now there are over 500! Many naturist organisations, resorts, and clubs have their own Home Pages.

Many, like my own, have extensive lists of other interesting naturist sites to visit. You can learn about naturist activities, organisations, camps, clubs, beaches, resorts, philosophy, legal problems, tours, magazines, books, accommodation, merchandise, videos ... all with a click of your mouse!

So, in case you were hesitating to buy a modem and internet connection, let me assure you that it is all so easy now that you will have no difficulty whatsoever.

Get connected and explore the world of naturism (or any other subject) from your own home!

If you're already into "surfing the web", but haven't investigated "naturism" yet, you might like to start with:-

"The Naturism Home Page" at

http://www.dbphoto.co.nz.

Following my helicopter ride in Nude Aloft (Issue #159 NZ Naturist) I have continued my studies and joined my parents on a number of exciting naturist outings with Robbert Broekstra and the Friends of Nature photo club.

Gypsy caravanning has been very popular in Europe for many years enabling people to travel slowly from one country to another in search of work or for a leisurely holiday.

In Holland it is possible to hire horses and gypsy caravans for weddings, funerals or holidays and so it was that we were able to travel on a recent excursion from the village of Waspe - some twenty kilometres from Assen - in the provinces of Gelderland and Drenthe.

Some experience was necessary looking after the horses and we were given instructions on how to feed and water the animals in our charge. Flies were a problem for the horses and we were given some lotion to wipe onto their skin to minimise the irritation.

Passing through a beautiful woodland we decided to stop for lunch. One of our friends had a guitar and we had a sing along after our meal.

Having rested for some time we moved on and gave the horses a bit of a run. Unfortunately one of our inexperienced drivers let the cart go into a ditch and we had an anxious time getting it out. Another of the horse riders fell off whilst galloping and spent the rest of the journey riding quietly in one of the caravans being rather shaken but otherwise unhurt.

We travelled until we arrived late at a wilderness lake.

Photos: Robbert Broekstra

The water was too cold for us to swim but we did paddle our feet for awhile before setting off on our return journey home.

It was late evening when we fourteen gypsies, four horses, two caravans and one dog arrived back at the farm house from where we had set out.

Although tired, we had had a wonderful day's outing amongst friends enjoying a naturist journey that was quite unique.

Annemieke

Each year the International Naturist Information Centre, Holland, selects a woman and man whom they consider has made a worthwhile contribution to Naturism both locally and nationwide to receive this award.

This year the New Zealand Nudist Federation President Kay Hannam is the worthy recipient of the female award. This is the first occasion in which the award has been given to a National President and the second occasion in which a New Zealander has been so honoured.

For some years Kay has been very active in promoting the naturist lifestyle at Pineglades, Canterbury (her home club) and more particularly nationwide since becoming National President.

She is a keen sports woman and highly motivated in promoting the positive aspects of nude recreation.

Photo: Robbert Broekstra

Photo: Brian Williams

The male recipient is Peter Riden, Editor of The Affiliate, a lifestyle magazine produced at The Grand Barn in Ontario, Canada.

A lot of hard work has been done by Peter, his wife Souz and family in the development of the Grand Barn as a naturist venue.

Although much work remains, quite a lot has been achieved between their duties in producing their magazine. Visitors are assured a warm welcome should they care to visit.

Hearty congratulations are extended to both Kay and Peter on receiving these awards for 1997.

The club finally got the go-ahead from the Waikato District Council in November 1995, and members have worked like beavers ever since to produce the wonderful facilities they have today.

On a sunny spring afternoon recently we made our second visit to the Waikato Outdoor Society, this time to their new club grounds near Matangi; a 12 minute drive from the centre of Hamilton City.

Peggy and I relaxed on the deck and enjoyed a picnic lunch while the committee finished its meeting, and then we were taken on a conducted tour of the new grounds and facilities.

The clubhouse is spacious, covering 160 square metres. On its western end are power outlets for up to six caravans or motor homes. On the other end is an outdoor spa pool heated by a wood-burning stove. Indoors there is a shop, a fully equipped electric kitchen, sleeping facilities, a shower, toilets, a wash-room and a large well-lit lounge with an open fire.

Near the clubhouse is a small temporary swimming pool, while further out are courts for volleyball and miniten. Enormous piles of very neatly stacked logs obtained from the clearing of unwanted trees will provide the club with free firewood for a long time to come. This whole area is absolutely private, being screened on all sides by shelter belts and orchards.

Ken took us for a walk across the lawn and down a zigzag path through native trees to a delightful secluded area beside the Mangaonua stream. Surrounded by trees, shrubs and lilies, this grassy nook would be an ideal spot for a picnic or a quiet hour in the sun with a good book.

Photo: Doug Ball

The last time Peggy and I visited the Waikato Outdoor Society was seven years ago, for the opening of their new clubhouse on the slopes of Mount Pirongia. It was a great day, with afternoon tea, a birthday cake, and organised games for young and old. The club was situated on an east-facing slope with a great view out over the fertile farmland.

It was quite a long drive from Hamilton City to Mt Pirongia and the final approach was via a steep mountain road which was unsuitable for caravans. Also, the mountain weather was often fickle and not always conducive to attracting new members to naturist activities.

In 1992 the club bit the bullet and decided to shift down to a more accessible site nearer to Hamilton City. At the time no one could have foreseen the problems that lay ahead. Planning consent for the chosen site became subject to legal wrangling and frustrating delays, and the club was to be without a proper home for the next three years.

The details of the shift, and the problems that had to be overcome have already been described in earlier issues of NZ Naturist (December 94, and September 96).

Ken explained that the two acres we had just seen was only a small part of the Club's new property. Another eight acres was still in fruit production and leased to a neighbouring orchardist. There aren't many naturist clubs making an income from their land!

Back at the Clubhouse, Rae and Stan told us more about the club. They have approximately seventy members at the moment, twenty-one of whom have joined in the last twelve months. Most club activities happen in the weekends, with volleyball, miniten, mini-golf, petanque, indoor bowls, darts, and, of course, sunbathing and swimming. There are pot luck lunches and dinners, car rallies, sports competitions, afternoon teas and social evenings. And every Wednesday evening, wet or fine, members enjoy a barbecue tea. On fine evenings they eat outside, but if the weather is inclement, they gather round a cheery open fire in the clubhouse.

While we chatted on the verandah and I took a few photos, Ken kept an eye on the fire which was heating the outdoor spa pool. The spa had never been used before, and the water was a little rusty from the new wet-back. However, that did not detract from the pleasure of the inaugural sit-in. After a warm soak everyone gathered round in a sunny corner inside the clubhouse until the time came for us to leave.

The shift to their new location has obviously been a great success for the Waikato Outdoor Society. All the troubles of the past are behind them and they look forward to a rosy future.

On holiday you don't want to spent all your time at the club grounds, so take a few days to explore that which is available within easy driving distance of our club.

Our Resident Custodian will give you a great welcome, so why not use the grounds as a place for a holiday venue, as a base for day trips. Indeed you will want to stay longer than you had first intended.

Woodside Park is an excellent holiday or weekend venue. I recommend it.

Prospective visitors or new members should write to P.O. Box 619, Hamilton, or phone (07) 854 7115.

Photos: Doug Ball

why not

Hamilton for a Summer Vacation

Now, if you are going to the Clayton's rally at Rotata or you are just looking for a tranquil peaceful spot for a nudist holiday let me convince you that you need to at least visit the Waikato Outdoor Society and once there you will want to extend your stay, for such is the beauty of our grounds and facilities.

Woodside Park (our club's ground name) is located off Woodside Road, six minutes from the Hillcrest Shopping centre, just far enough in the country to be out of suburbia but close enough to use the city's facilities and perhaps try some of Hamilton's restaurants where food is prepared by the finest chefs the country can locate. There are power points for caravans and plenty of unpowered sites. No accommodation of your own! Don't worry, a double bed is available in the club house.

As the day draws to a close what could be better than a BBQ, a couple of wines, then you can recline in the comfort of a soft chair and follow your favourite TV programme on the club's very own television. This is an absolutely ideal place in which to relax.

Hamilton; The largest inland city in New Zealand, cruise the mighty Waikato river on the 'Waipa Delta' paddle steamer. Visit the Clydesdale Museum, located near the Airport and just down the road one of our nearest neighbours has the Sporting Memories Museum, a must on anybody's list of things to do. Then of course there is the Hilldale Zoo Park, the Waikato Museum, and if you are into gardening the Hamilton Gardens are well worth a quiet walk around. There is the commercial centre where you can satisfy every need, not to mention the many fine restaurants available for fine dining.

So why not Hamilton for a summer vacation. You will be very pleased that you did.

By Ray Coates

Auckland Outdoor Health Club Inc

Preparations are underway for another busy summer of club activities and camping.

Although the winter never seemed to finish, the grounds are again in pristine order and a warm welcome is assured visitors to our grounds.

Applications for membership are invited. Our modest rates of subscription and fees ensures that the facilities are available to all parents on a modest income.

Our beautiful parkland in west Auckland is within easy reach, being some twenty minutes by road or rail from Auckland city. Your enquiry will be welcomed. Phone our Membership Secretary Fern now Ph (09) 833 9128.

Don't let another summer go by without experiencing the joy of nude recreation at New Zealand's premier naturist facility.

Waikato Outdoor Society Inc

Summer is upon us, although judging by the many members who were on the grounds in club uniform during the so called winter months one wonders if we have really had a real winter.

This club hasn't hibernated over the winter months, we have continued our weekly Wednesday BBQ5, have enjoyed a Mid Year Christmas Dinner, had a car rally which ended at a member's home where we all enjoyed a spa. We visited the nearby Sporting Memories Museum and recently hosted the Nudvan Club's Rally. In between we have worked hard at removing a poplar shelter belt, somewhat large trees which a contractor cut down for us, the cleaning up took many long hours but the efforts were certainly most rewarding. We completed a planting project of native trees, donated to us by a sympathetic member of the public.

Throughout the winter months we have enjoyed visitors from other clubs, an indication that many members are moving about all the time. We certainly welcome visitors and campers and now that we have power points available, camping is so much more comfortable.

We extend a welcome to all campers to stay a while after the Rotota Campout. Come and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of Woodside Park and enjoy the many facilities already established.

Ray Coates

Free Beach Group Inc
Canterbury Branch

Halfway through the winter we organised an aquacise session at the local indoor pool. This was attended by Free Beach and Canterbury Sun Club members, families and friends, and was such a success that we decided to make it a regular monthly event during the winter season, and also to follow up with pot-luck suppers in the lounge which is part of the pool complex. All in all, a good Saturday evening for the whole family.

We also enjoyed the hospitality of the Canterbury Sun Club at a spa/sauna and games evening at Pineglades. Cosy log fire and canteen/bar added to the agreeable ambiance of the club house. A supper of hot soup and rolls was provided by our honorary chef, Bert.

Our regional committee is getting together to plan for summer beach outings. We now have a car pool/transport co-ordinator and a PR person. Future events at the beach - including kite-flying, sandcastle building and petanque - are geared for family enjoyment and sociability.

Joyce Fleming

Canterbury Sun Club Inc

The flurry of activity experienced at Pineglades over the winter months has involved some very imaginative entertainment organised by our social convenors Phil and Sue. The highlight of these being our annual Brass Monkey affair held annually in August and Labour Weekend will resound to the oomp pah pah of a Bavarian band.

Photo: Lyn Coates

We have had several changes within our committee, resulting in a new executive. We thank those retiring committee members for their efforts and welcome new members to the committee. Achievable goals have been established and the new committee are working extremely hard to achieve these. This should result in several new projects being completed within the next twelve months.

Sports ladders have been introduced at Pineglades and the race to be at the top of the ladder in disciplines such as miniten, table tennis, tennikoits and petanque will ensure some lively competition.

On the PR front "An Invitation to Women" has been co-ordinated for mid-October and it is hoped that members and friends alike will take advantage of this worthwhile promotion. It is also a good opportunity to take advantage of freebie advertising from local radio stations and community newspapers. As for the men, one live-wire has organised a fishing competition for the blokes, to be held on the same day. Good on ya mate!

Our patrol is getting prepared for the National Campout at Rotota this summer, but in the meantime we are making the most of all the good tines to be had at Pineglades.

Kay Hannam

Auckland Sun Club Inc

Greetings to all readers from Auckland Sun Club!

Exciting news was received from Belgium. Marianne and Ivan of Antwerp had such a fabulous time in New Zealand last summer, so they booked flights to come again this year. This time they want to do the North Island. Says Marianne: "What would you think about celebrating New Year together? We would love to do it over again! So we decided to return to your overwhelming and beautiful country." (sic)

The photogenic couple (NZN 160 IFC and BC, 162 p18) arrive early December and will want to visit North Island clubs, beaches, bush and tourist spots before ending up at the National Campout.

We heard from keen Naturist Netsurfers Vernon and Pam (BOPSC) who support the idea of a local naturist email directory.

Their site address: vapmbell@wave.co.nz.

You're welcome to email Peter at moosberg@sinesurf.co.nz if you'd like more information about our club. And NaturistNetNewbies can call him for email practice - every effort made to respond to every message!

Members and visitors gather on Sundays to enjoy the three hour occasion commencing at 1600 hours. A great time is had for just $3.00 per person. As a bonus, free soup and light refreshments have been provided at some sessions.

Don't forget that Auckland Sun has a comfortable powered camper sleeping 2 or 3 for hire as on-site accommodation. So if you're visiting Auckland and want to stay a while contact Malc and Sheila on 09 814 9973 to reserve it. The Sky Tower and Regent may be nice, but to really relax, come on up to our spot, Murray Glade, at 755A West Coast Road, Oratia. Clothes free recreation facilities second-to-none!

International Naturist
Federation (INF)

A "Youth Letter Exchange" column has been started in the INF Bulletin with the aim of exchanging letters between young naturists of different countries.

The first request comes from Ghana, West Africa where Doris Adoma (26) asks for correspondence in English. Her hobbies include sport, music, naturism, swimming, reading, films, animals and flowers, dancing, naturist modelling, cooking.

Interested young naturists are asked to send their letters to the General Secretariat, International Naturist Federation, St Hubertusstraat, 5 B-2600, Antwerpen, Belgium (tel + 32 3 230 05 72, fax + 32 2 281 26 07) marked "Doris Adoma" for forwarding on.

INF now firmly on the NET

Mireille (Mieke) Choin, Secretary- General of INF can be reached by email at naturism@inf-fni.org

The INF web site is http://www.inf-fni.org

Photo: Ray Coates

President Max and Secretary / Treasurer Kathy are also connected and can be reached at max.earby@xtra.co.nz, kath.earby@ xtra.co.nz.

The regular spa and sauna evenings are proving a great success.

Rotota Sun Club Inc

Preparations for the National Campout are on schedule. Working bees have created miracles: two concrete water tanks moved to new locations for fresh water, shower/cooking block almost ready, two composting toilets nearly completed and another section of the beach frontage cleared and a retaining wall built.

Deliveries of ice, milk, bread, veges, and meat have been arranged for two days. Activities planned and ready. A float plane and helicopter will be available for rides if sufficient numbers attend. Boats are ready for action.

Phew! I'm exhausted just thinking about all this relaxation!

Don't forget the hangi and New Year's Eve beach party.

It's not too late to book: $65 per adult to National Campout, P0 Box 5171, Westend, Rotorua West.

This will be the best nudist holiday, ever! A biased and informed camp leader.

Graham MacGregor

NATURIST GUIDE

- BRITISH ISLES

by David Martin

This A4 size publication is a comprehensive guide to naturist clubs in Britain and also includes bed and breakfast spots along with sauna/spa and swim groups throughout the various regions.

The guide incorporates Phil Varrack's Free Sun Beaches and these entries have been updated as applicable now that Phil has reached the mature age of some 80 years. Ably assisted by his wife Sue in its preparation, this guide is surely a labour of love and is certainly a worthwhile publication for one considering an extended journey visiting the many naturist spots and groups throughout the United Kingdom.

Available from: Coast & Country Naturist Publications, 3 Mayfield Avenue, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO126 DP., England.

Cost £17.00.

BOOK REVIEW

No Shadows Fall

by Iseult Richardson

This autobiography is written by one of England's best known naturists and details her life as a young woman growing up in a naturist family at Spielplatz.

She is still very much involved in the daily running of the club which was developed by her parents Charles and Dorothy Macaskie from 1929.

Located on a few acres of woodland at St. Albans in rural Hertfordshire, England, the book details the development of the club and relates the many personal experiences she has had over those years.

This sixty year old mother and grandmother has provided a very enjoyable and worthwide contribution to naturist history.

This book is available from: Coast and Country Naturist Publications, 3 Mayfield Avenue, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO 126 DP England. Cost £13.50.

VERMONT

UNVEILED

By Jim C. Cunningham

This magnificently illustrated book details the many and varied naturist outdoor sites available throughout the state of Vermont.

The beautifully photographed settings available for nudism are presented in an easy reading style and the colour photography is superb.

This book is available from:

Naturist Life International, Inc.

P.O. Box 300, Troy,

VT05868-0300, USA.

Cost: US$25 (sea mail).

Families are able to take advantage of the warmer summer nights for an evening meal, a swim in the pool and finish it with entertainment around the log fire.

The Taranaki Naturists Club is the only clothes free recreational facility in the region. It's within easy walking distance to a beach, and has a river on its boundary. It has the potential to be a excellent camping and family entertainment facility.

Any enquiries from prospective members should be forwarded to the Club Secretary c/- 46 Strange Street, Waitara. All members of the club are able to camp at the grounds for up to one month free of charge and enjoy the facilities of the club house.

Mike Baker

Taranaki Naturist Club Inc

"Be adventurous, do something nude once in awhile."

The Taranaki Club is excited and looking forward to the summer of 1997/98. Up and coming events include two open days, and invitations are available for people to attend and experience the freedom of clothes free recreation.

The swimming pool is operational and BBQ facilities are available for use. Over the last summer many members camped at the grounds and the club is looking forward to a similar if not greater re-occurrence of that happening this year. The grounds have been landscaped for this purpose with camping areas marked and trees planted to create a park like atmosphere.

D I S T A N T   S U P P O R T E R S

Thank you for providing such an efficient service with regard to the delivery of your New Zealand Naturist magazine. We enjoy following the free and easy relaxed way you all approach the nude lifestyle on your lovely islands and the way you keep official interference and rules to the basic moral minimum, sadly the opposite applies here.

We currently have pen pals in Germany, Holland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Malta, Finland, Belgium and of course several here in England and this has remained constant for the past five years or more so if any of your subscribers would like to be included the option is open. Lillian is a trim 62, I am somewhat portly, 60 next year.

We have our own clothes free house and garden within walking distance of river and city centre. We try to get one European holiday of a naturist nature annually. We recommend The Algarve, Portugal and nudity is now legally permissible there.

As the enclosed photos confirm we do depilate and are pleased to see that this has become more acceptable throughout the nudist movement worldwide, but as expected, slower over here.

Thank you once again for your help and we look forward to our continued contact, courtesy of your excellent and informative journal.

Your distant supporters.

Peter and Lillian Newman

120 Wardrew Road,

St Thomas, Exeter

Devon EX4 IEZ

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I am hoping that from among your readers either here in New Zealand or overseas there may be some who would like to discuss by correspondence the development of an ideal I have dubbed Christo-Digambaraism.

The idea is taken from the nudity of the Digambaras of certain Jainist and Hindu ascetes and moving it into a Christendom context.

The difference between Christo-Digambaraism and Digambaraism of the Jainists and Hindus is that rather than being an all male affair, the crux of the concept, as I see it at the moment, lies in the fact that both men and women must be involved together. The basis of Christo-Digambaraism I believe, is that the original sin of the Garden of Eden was not so much the eating of the forbidden fruit, but the first major consequence of that action: thus becoming ashamed of our nakedness. This being the sin we have continued to commit ever since.

There is more to Christo-Digambaraism than I have outlined above, so anyone who is at all interested in helping to develop the concept further is more than welcome to write to me at 1 Hanson Street, Portobello, Dunedin.

Bruce Hill.

Dear Editor,

On page 21 of Issue #162 you write about Australian Censorship Regulations.

For your readers who don't know what you are writing about, including myself, why don't you write an article in the next issue about them and how they affect your magazine.

Guy Knight

Fairfield, Illinois, USA

Dear Guy,

Earlier this year new Australian censorship regulations came into force requiring all publications to be submitted for classification.

Initially the fee for this was a modest Aus$50 but in recent times has escalated to around Aus$150 per issue.

In addition we are required to affix "unrestricted" labels to each magazine which incurs another charge of around Aus$100 per thousand magazines.

More recently, nipples are not to be displayed on covers of unrestricted publications and thus we incur further printing costs should we need to doctor the cover photographs.

We are therefore having to pay around Aus$600 just for classification before shipping, printing and marketing costs are considered.

However Guy - do enjoy each issue as we enjoy the challenge of bringing to you, each quarter, one of the most upmarket nudist publications available worldwide.

Editor

NEW ZEALAND CLUB DIRECTORY

The secretaries of these clubs will be pleased to hear from genuine inquirers. Please enclose return postage.

new zealand

naturist

No. 163 December 1997

The New Zealand Naturist is the Official Journal published quarterly by the New Zealand Nudist Federation Inc. Registered at the Chief Post Office Wellington as a magazine.

Editor:

Les Olsen Tel/Fax (09) 444 5015

Business Manager:

Laurel Olsen Tel/Fax (09) 444 5015

This magazine is protected by copyright, no part of it may be reproduced. stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photographic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Editor.

In our desire to present different points of view we publish articles and letters which do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Editor.

(Top)

AUSTRALIAN NUDIST CLUB DIRECTORY

All correspondence should be addressed to:

P.O. Box 101014,

NORTH SHORE MAIL CENTRE,

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

General inquiries concerning nudism in New Zealand, or overseas, should be addressed to:

The Secretary NZNF: Peter Moosberger
P.O. Box 74-257, Market Rd PO,
Auckland 1005
Tel/Fax 09-520 0796
Email: mooseberg@sinesurf.co.nz

President: Kay Hannam
Tel/Fax 03-383 6023

North Island VP: Mike Kelley
Tel: 09-836 3610, Fax 09-836 3657

South Island VP: Christine Turner
Tel: 03-337 3464

Applications for membership of Clubs should be made direct to the Club Secretary (see Club Directory).

PHOTO CREDITS

Richard West P1

Alan Harvey P2, P3

Brian Williams P5, P10b, P11, P12a, P14

Robbert Broekstra P7, P8, P9, P10a, IFC

Doug Ball P12c, P15, P16, P17, IBC

Ray Coates P19

Lyn Coates P18

Les Olsen P4, BC

DEADLINES FOR COPY

164 March 1998 - 20 January 1998

165 June 1998 - 20 April 1998

166 September 1998 - 20 July 1998

167 December 1998 - 1 October 1998