# 154 - September 1995 

Do we still discriminate against single men in New Zealand?

On reading through a number of overseas nudist publications recently, it was surprising just how many letters there were reflecting the dilemma of single men who wished to join a naturist club in their locality.

In some English clubs, the rules against single men are so firmly entrenched, it would seem, that should a married male loose his wife; no matter how long and valiant his service to the club; there is an instant requirement for dismissal or resignation.

I cannot recall there ever being such a stead fast rule among N.Z. nudist clubs, however, I feel sure that some clubs may yet practise the art of discrimination dressed in various disguises such as "we need to keep the balance between the sexes" or "we cannot have more single men than we have married couples" etc.

It would seem to me that in this day and age when it is unlawful to discriminate against the aged, homosexuals, sexism etc that some of our clubs may be just a little guilty of discrimination.

Many of our clubs do admit single men and in some cases hike the fees to equal that of married couples. Is this not discriminatory? Surely on being admitted to membership of a club all the fees should be set on an individual basis that is, the membership fee, joining fee, camping fee or whatever is set "per person" to avoid any accusation of discrimination.

As to a blanket refusal to admit single men - again I am not aware that any N.Z. club follows such a practise.

Surely it would be foolhardy indeed to hold such an entrenched view when the single male can be such a valuable resource for assistance with development projects around the club once they have been selected on merit to membership.

Not every single male nor indeed every married couple are necessarily suited to become members of our clubs. One's suitability must surely be judged through polite discussion with the applicant where the genuineness of the person to pursue the nudist philosophy can be assessed quite readily.

Perhaps we as nudist leaders or committee persons need to have a better understanding of just what it is we are trying to achieve and develop better communication skills so that we can more readily assess a persons suitability to become a member of our club.

To quote from a recent ANF Bulletin where a single gent of mature years and a Justice of the Peace, related his difficulty in finding a club that would admit him following the death of his wife. He writes: "If a club is to grow, it must be prepared to admit persons on trust. If a person wishes to go naked in the open air, he or she needs ready access to nudist facilities whether they be married or single."

Editor - Les Olsen

TURF SPORTS

- Wellington Style -

by Doug R. Cousins

(Aided and abetted by Howard Tong)

Early last spring, when Sunday evenings saw the return of members to the BBQ, things started off with a bang. Spirits, both liquid and otherwise, were running high, so much so that funny things began to happen. Suddenly, "fun in the sun" took on a whole new meaning and memories of sporting exploits flowed easily back to members. Some more light refreshments and various members were ready to take on the world!

That was when a motley lot from the upper camping area (Park Lane) issued a challenge to the members camping over the creek (Faraway Land) and the Lawn Brigade (those without camp sites).

Immediately Faraway Land members leapt into full blown exercises on the lawn in an attempt to intimidate their opponents. Not to be outdone, the Park Lane mob entered into a fiery rendition of a haka. But this was quickly doused by a quick witted, intelligent good guy from Faraway Land using the hose by the swimming pool. It seemed the emphasis for the whole challenge would be fun, fun, fun, and the following outline of the proposal appeared in the club's newsletter.

"1. The challenge will take place on one weekend each month over the next five months.

2. Each team must have an equal mix of male and female, young and old.

3. Teams must have a minimum of six members and where there is more, they are to be divided up equally amongst all three teams.

4. Scores will be aggregated to ensure that everyone contributes to the outcome.

5. The events will be:

a) Lawn Cricket - rules similar to indoor cricket

b) Mini Putt golf - a tricky nine hole course designed by our residential professional.

c) Leisure and Intellectual Day - wine and beer tasting with trivial pursuits and other mind bending competitions.

d) Triathlon - a one kilometre exercycle ride, then running or walking a circuit of the grounds followed by a swim or walk in the pool.

e) Olympics Day - egg and spoon, three-legged and sack races, gumboot throwing as well as other well known Olympic events!'

The first event was held in December but was delayed due to rain having left the wicket - the main lawn - rather damp. It was fine during play. We quote again from the club's newsletter:

"Play was delayed because of moisture in the wicket (the real reason was waiting for late corners) and play finally got under way at 10.30. One could only say that there were some truly outstanding performances on the day. Bev's running between the wickets had to be seen to be believed - Murray's commitment in placing his body on the line and colliding with a handrail when taking a catch - young Jason's hat trick of wickets and little Melissa's confusing bowling to a pumped up Matt added to what everyone agreed was a great bit of fun".

In January came the second event, the Triathlon - again on a fine day. The actual programme was two minutes on an exercycle, then a run or walk around a set route through the grounds, followed by swimming three lengths of the main pool or walking six lengths of the learners' pool, the whole event for each member being timed.

On this occasion some members of other clubs on their way home from the Mardi Gras Rally were called in to help even up the teams and they, like the host members, all had a great time. Again from the club's newsletter:

"Those people who chose the running course found it rather demanding and there were several members observed puffing like steam trains coming down the home stretch. For most it became a personal challenge and Betty really epitomised this fact when she didn't even take off her socks before entering the pool in the hope of saving precious seconds'

The third event was the Wellington Club Golf Open, again held on a lovely fine day. this was how it was reported: "Round three of the Turf Sports was Mini Putt Golf. A little bit of foresight and the use of available timber, concrete blocks and pegs gave the course every characteristic of a normal mini putt links. Anything that can make Barry speechless must be good. With a field of forty members some good scores were recorded and no less than six people made holes in one. Shot of the day went to Lyn. Talk about straight out of the comic book! She hit the ball at 100 kilometres an hour up the dog leg, it ricocheted off the timber, up the ramp, through the hole in the concrete block, bounced off the firewood surround and straight into the hole! Unfortunately Doug, had to be reprimanded for stamping his feet each time he missed a putt close to the hole, and officials almost penalised him one shot for slow play'

It was unfortunate that the weatherman took a hand in the fourth event and ruled it out due to wet weather before the event. On the actual day, which dawned overcast, very few turned up. Maybe the event will come another year.

It was to have been a typical school picnic race day. The final event, Mind Gymnastics, was held indoors on the evening of Easter Sunday. It started with wine tasting and lots of "options" questions to go with the various vintages. This was followed by a round of trivial pursuits questions, such as "Which group of islands include Guernsey and Jersey?" and 'What is the world's largest feline?"

Charades followed, rather like "Give Us A Clue" on TV. The natural actors came to the fore whilst others found the task too hard to handle. Whilst the attendance was not high, the fun was still there.

The final outcome of the whole series was a win for Faraway Land, with Park Lane coming in second and The Lawn running up in the rear. And what did the challenge achieve? It was meant to be fun and it was; absolutely. It was designed to get members together on otherwise uneventful days at the club and it did just that! The atmosphere was always full of laughter and the banter made it even more enjoyable. The original idea of one group challenging another really went out the window as numbers in the teams needed to be even, so various members as well as visitors from other clubs were included in different teams. But who cared? We all had a go and enjoyed the days of fun and frivolity. Will we do it again? I'm sure it will become an annual event until we run out of ideas for the various activities. But then again the games so far played would still be fun even if we repeated them.

The thanks of all members are due to Tony, Rob and their helpers for organizing and running these Turf Sports. No doubt when next spring sees the commencement of further BBQ's, reminiscences will start flying on how they won, or just failed to win - "My handle got stuck" or some similar lame excuse. The winter work days, with the Hollywood Rally in mind, will give members plenty of chances for exercise in preparation for another round of Turf Sports, Wellington Style.

by Rob Williams

To some people, the idea of shedding one's clothes and going nude is not only preposterous but unthinkable. To others it is daily routine. Why the difference in attitude?

What is it that makes the human form in its natural state appear abhorrent and disgusting? Why do some sections of society take the view that people who indulge in naturism are of unsound mind or sexually perverted, or some other extreme type of person? Why do we have in this so-called enlightened age such narrow-minded people, indeed uneducated in the benefits of this marvellous leisure activity. Why?

Over the past decade I have been an active nudist and really enjoy it. I have never viewed my body as being distasteful, ugly, abhorrent to look at, or self-conscious of the fact that I indulged in being a nudist. Rather to the contrary. To me, being a naturist is something in my life that I am very proud of, very proud indeed. Yet, because I have done this, I have been persecuted by the authorities, ridiculed by my former family and publicly crucified for my activities. Why? I put it down to the bigoted attitude of our society today. The authorities permit children to view pornographic material, purchase it, do what they like with it, but when it come of the wholesome activity of being a nudist, they (authorities) view that as something horrible, evil, perverted and just not the done thing!

In South Australia, we do have a 'free' beach, south of Adelaide, called Maslins. What a marvellous location and leisure area for everyone to enjoy! Regretfully, owing to distance I have only been there one, but I plan many more trips when time and other commitments permit.

Joy is new to this type of lifestyle and thoroughly enjoys it. In her words, "I love it, the freedom, it's great. Life should be like this. It would be great to work like this ... but ... it's beautiful".

Photos: Rob Williams

Joy is a professional hairdresser in a Spencer Gulf city in South Australia. She also enjoys gardening. So why did she join the ANF? (Australian Nudist Federation) "I wanted to. When I met Rob, he told me that he had been a naturist for many years, so we discussed it and I quite liked the idea of the 'freedom' of expression it permits. I enjoy my body - I'm not ashamed of it and the thought of being able legally to shed my attire at Maslins and do my own thing in comfort, and to enjoy other peoples' company in the same manner appealed to me. So I joined. I really love it. I am not an exhibitionist or anything like that, but I certainly do not see anything wrong with nudity at all. It is not a sexual thing - not to me anyway.

Adam and Eve went naked in the Garden of Eden, and I believe that if God had meant us humans to wear clothes all the time he would have designed the body to cater for that. Yes, I'm a Christian. I'm a naturist Christian, and very proud of it".

Joy told me that the only problem she faced with being a naturist was that during the winter months it was far too cold to even think about it, let alone do it. "I hate winter - I love the summer months when I can do what I want to do, as nature intended.

I had never given the idea of becoming a naturist any thought at all until I met Rob, through business commitments. He suggested I try it one day. I did, in the privacy of my flat, and I was thrilled at the actual freedom it gave my body. It was great! I have not been to Maslins yet, but I fully intend to next summer. From what I have been told and read about it, it should be a wonderful visit."

So what does nudism mean to us "Rob:" It means that we can enjoy nature to the fullest extent, meet other people, take part in sports activities, correspond, exchange photographs and a whole host of other things. I am very pleased that the ANF has another member in Joy. She is a great lady and is not inhibited in any way concerning her physical appearance. We are both Christians and firmly uphold the teachings of Christ. I suspect there may be many Christians who do not agree with our thinking or with what we do. That is their choice. We do not thrust upon them our belief in the ANF, therefore we expect that they will respect us in our activities as nudists."

Rob Williams is a self-employed writer, photographer, researcher and an Australian resident.

The International Naturist Federation

INTRODUCES ITSELF!

The two largest federations, at present France and Netherlands, have a constitutional right to two of these eight positions. These eight people form the Central Committee, which meets at least once a year at the headquarters of the INF in Antwerp, Belgium. The President and First and Second Vice-Presidents form the Executive Committee which directs the INF. The remaining five Vice-Presidents each have duties within the Central Committee.

The General Secretariat of the INF is in Berchem, Antwerp, where the General Secretary Mereille Choin is employed.

After the resignation of the former President Bart Wijnberg and the necessary supplementary elections, the Central Committee of the INF is constituted as follows:

Temporary President and 1st Vice-President: Karl Dressen, DKF, Germany; 2nd Vice-President/treasurer: Konrad Brönnimann, SNU-UNS, Switzerland; Vice-President at the Executive

Committee: Paul Lambrechts, FBN, Belgium; Vice-President for Sports:

Chris Ivens, NFN, Netherlands; Vice- President for Youth: Jim Christopherson, CCBN, Great Britain; Vice- President for European matters: Jean Claude Liehr, FFN, France; Vice- Presidents for Public Relations: Petra Scheller, Union FQN-FCN, Canada, Jan Kolderup, NNF, Norway.

The actions carried out by the INF are varied. There are the activities in the sphere of public relations, which are being intensified in order to get our naturist movement known at the level of the European Union.

The major federations and clubs assume that the world around us, more particularly their members, know all about this organisation and also know what this organisation does.

The International Naturist Federation was founded on 23 August 1953 on the grounds of the Centre Hélio Mann in Montalivet, France.

The first president of the INF was Dr Richard Ehrmann, from Austria. In 1993 the INF celebrated its 40th anniversary at the place of foundation Montalivet.

The INF sets up a Congress or General Meeting every two years. The last, 24th Congress was in 1994 on the naturist grounds "Rutar Lido" in Eberndorf, Carinthia, Austria.

Next year the 25th Congress, an anniversary congress, will take place at the Belgian club Athena on its grounds 'Ossendrecht' situated in the Netherlands.

Today the INF brings together federations from 32 nations, namely from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Latvia, Norway, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, United States of America and South Africa. In Addition the INF is represented by correspondents in those countries where up to now no federations exists, i.e. in Bulgaria, Israel, India, Ireland, Japan, Poland and Argentina.

How does the INF operate? The member federations elect a President, First Vice-President (who represents the President and is responsible for the General Secretariat and all organisational matters), the Second Vice-President (Treasurer) and 5 further Vice-Presidents; for periods of four years.

Furthermore the INF makes it possible to improve links between the federations and the individual countries, and above all to help the smaller and younger federations. Until the last Congress, the Youth Commission and Sports Commission had important jobs within their own spheres; they advised the Central Committee and established the calendar for the major INF events. After the foundation of the ENU it was agreed on the occasion of a common meeting of the ENU Founding Committee and the INF Executive Committee that future big Youth and Sports events in Europe will be organised by the ENU. However, for the transitional years 1995 and 1996 the organization of these important events remains at the INF. On the occasion of such events, our two Vice-Presidents Chris Ivens and Jim Christopherson discuss further events with the representatives of the federations responsible for sports and youth. Forthcoming events are published regularly in the INF Bulletin which is published four times a year.

Each year the INF gives Press Prizes to newspapers that have written excellent articles about our movement. A further prize is given to the club or centre which has organized and carried out an INF event in an exemplary way. In addition, since 1991 the INF gives an internal Press Prize to magazines of naturist clubs where above all the following criteria are important:

good presentation of the magazine, good and interesting design of the cover pages as well as publication of INF news within these clubs internal publications.

At the last INF Congress, a decision was taken to cease publication of the INF Bulletin. However many federations requested that the INF Bulletin should be kept as the means of communication between the INF and the federations, the clubs, the holiday centres, the libraries and also the readers in general. You all can help by filling in an order form to preserve our INF Bulletin.

The INF publishes a World Naturist Guide every two years, in which all naturist grounds are listed throughout the whole world. Please support the INF Bulletin and World Guide. They do provide very worthwhile naturist information.

Forward payment of CHF25 by bank draft to Karl Dressen, Zedernstrasse 19, D-41239 Monchengladbach 2, Germany. C/o account No. 80-26470-3 (Zurich, Switzerland).

by Karl Dressen

Nudism On The

MOVE

Now for the news you have all been waiting for - Nudist Information Day. We are going to bring nudism into the 9Ys. Using the Mardi Gras theme,this event will be held at Western Springs Sports ground on the 10th December 1995. There will be bands, buskers of all descriptions, hot and cold food, drinks, candy and popcorn for sale.

There will be information tents from other voluntary organisations, flea market tents / stalls, and the Nudist Federation will have three marquees with information and photos from every club in N.Z. Promotional videos will be playing, membership forms, contact phone numbers for your area and dates of your Club Open Day will be available. I will be contacting each Club and inviting the Free Beach Group to join in the fun. We are expecting about 3000 people with plenty of advertising around Auckland and media coverage. So please don't be shy in promoting your club in the most positive way possible.

(continued...)

It has been a busy time of the year these last few months even though we are now in the throes of winter. There were two National events held in the North Island, where we were able to warm our bodies and be sociable at the same time.

The first was held at Auckland Sun Club for the "World Naturist Day" on the 21st May. Auckland Sun Club opened up their spa and sauna to all who ventured out, with the opportunity to plunge" in their outdoor pool. Many brave nudists "plunged" - they were noticeable by their blue skin. The six seater spa pool became very cosy when we moved over and had eight people all enjoying the bubbles and thankfully the air-jets were not overly pressurised.

The sauna could only hold eight towel bearing bodies so those in first got the best seat. Auckland Sun Club had a beautiful hot fire going in their Clubhouse for those who had enough of the hot/cold and needed a bit of balance. Food, refreshments, raffles and lots of cordiality made "The World Naturist Day" GREAT FUN! Roll on next year.

The second event that was warming to the body was held at "Fernlands Hot Pool" in 7uranga - an annual event hosted by one of the fastest growing clubs, Rotota. An excellent venue, and an opportunity to catch up with many of our friends. Who said nudism was only for the summer! It was my first experience of Fernlands and I was impressed with the surroundings as the owners of Fernlands have let nature provide a remarkable venue.

Photo: Peter Moosberger

(continued...)

There are so many potential nudists in N.Z. and we need to make them aware of our lifestyle so that nudism becomes an acceptable leisure activity.

We have decided after much thought to use an 0900 number rather than an 0800 number. The reasons for doing this are:

* The Federation does not have an unlimited budget and our spending power is less than most clubs, so we will save dollars.

* It will not put off the serious minded person from obtaining information.

* It will stop negative calls that always come from the public when a phone number is advertised.

* The 0900 information line will be in operation from the 1st September - Spring Day - this is the day you need to mark on your calendar to begin gearing up your community for the biggest show of nudism yet.

I look forward to speaking with you in the near future and should you need to contact me, my phone number is with your secretary. Please see them in the first instance; or write to me C /- NZ Naturist and I will contact you. Till then, keep warm, safe, and enjoy nudism whenever possible.

NUDISM IS NATURAL

Delia Adams

NZNF Public Relations Officer

(Top)

Fernlands - Hot Pool
- World Naturist Day -

SOUTH CANTERBURY

"The Old School"

By Jean Lord-Paterson

The South Canterbury Sun Club Inc. began in 1971. Two members from the Christchurch Club who lived in Timaru advertised in the local paper to see if there were any people interested in getting together to join a Social Nudism. From there an invitation was extended to those interested folk to attend an open day at Pineglades.

The day was well attended and the response was that a meeting should be held to form a South Canterbury Group. Thirty three people attended. The group met regularly at the river, held spa and sauna nights and social occasions in halls and homes of members.

It was obvious that grounds were becoming important. Much time was spent in trying to find a suitable location. Twenty one acres known as Ashbys Bush, adjacent to the Orari River was found and purchased. Access was through a neighbouring property and eventually the group was denied the right to use this and would therefore no longer be able to use their own land. A sale was forced and the property was reluctantly sold.

Photo: Doug Cousins

A downturn in membership due to the lack of facilities prompted the remaining members to look for grounds with more to offer. Eventually with months of meetings with different government departments the Conservation Department along with the acceptance of the locals offered us the use of an Historic School on five acres, 10 kms from Geraldine. The situation was ideal. Our club had now become known as "The Old School'

Four years on, membership had dropped to eight and the loyal few continued to just keep things going. It was obvious that the club needed to have a big boost if it was to survive. Upon retirement Ian became President. Having been a member from the clubs beginning, he wasn't about to let the club go down without a fight and decided to move from Nelson onto the grounds. With the help of our few members a shower and laundry block was built.

Now we have it all. Our clubroom is 'The Old School' with a fully equipped kitchen. Other facilities include toilets, shower and laundry block, BBQ, children's play area, swimming pool, and miniten court. There are two power points and plenty of room for parking or pitching a tent.

From there a farm cottage in Albury with an acre of land was rented and became home for a few years. Attendance was good and the club then affiliated to the N.Z.N.F. When the farmer sold the land, the club was on the move again, unfortunately.

The South Canterbury Catchment Board was approached and permission was given for an acreage of land next to the Opihi River in Pleasant Point to be used. These grounds became known as Willowbanks. Planting trees, sowing lawn and putting in a miniten court got underway. Floods seemed to become a way of life but never, the less many enjoyable years were spent there.

With promotion and hard work we are slowing growing again. Last year a 40% increase in membership was obtained.

In January 1994 our official 21st reunion was held. Fifty two people attended the dinner. There were camper vans, caravans and tents everywhere. We knew that from here on in that we could only move ahead.

This club has so much going for it. It is one and half hours from Pineglades, 30 minutes from Ashburton, 10 minutes from quaint Geraldine and 30 minutes to Timaru. Things to do from here are endless. Just up the road and through the Orari Station is wonderful scenery and a river to swim in. There is Barkers Winery, tramping, fishing, a day trip to Fairlie, or onto Lake Tekapo. The list goes on. Then why not come back to the club to relax and enjoy what we can offer.

The amount of visitors that we are receiving, is on the increase. A nights stay often becomes anything from four nights to a week.

For the last two years; at the end of January; we have hosted a day called "South Cantys Day" Visitors from our surrounding clubs come and join us for the weekend. It is pretty laid back, true to our style. We play miniten, Petanque, darts or whatever. The pool is well used to cool off after the wonderful sun that we turn on. At the end of the day a BBQ is shared. On the Sunday we pack up lunch and head for the river. Many braved the water for a swim in club uniform.

Starting on 6th January 1996 the South Canterbury Sun Club is to host a Go Natural Getaway. The duration will be a few days. It is now in the planning stage and information will be sent out to all clubs at a later date. Our intention is to socialize and play sport with the many new friends that we make from the clubs around New Zealand.

We hope that you can support us. Why not make it a date. We invite you to contact us by writing to: PO. Box 13, Geraldine or phone (03) 692-2787.

— TOP END —

NATURIST RECREATION RETREAT

Just 70 kms out of Darwin is the Top End Naturist Recreation Retreat, a delightful retreat in a native bush setting. The owners, Garry & Jean Paar have done a remarkable job to get the place up and running by Easter considering the wet season that we have had.

The retreat has an in-ground swimming pool, spacious undercover barbecue areas, full amenity block, pleasant bush wallking areas, volleyball court and more to be added as time goes on.

TENRR has powered sites, un-powered sites, and on-site caravans available for families and couples at very reasonable prices.

At the official opening on Easter Saturday, special guests Les & Jan Hotckin from Australian Sun & Health magazine praised the owners on their

building a place like this as it fills a much needed void in the Northern Territory where naturism can be enjoyed fully.

TENRR is only 16 kms from a great tourist attraction in the Territory Wildlife Park which is a must see if you are holidaying in the Territory. Also close by are the Majestic Orchid Farms; the largest orchid farm in the southern hemisphere; Berry Springs Nature Reserve and other tourist attractions. On site tour bookings are available to Kakadu, Litchfield Park, Katherine Gorge, Crocodile Farm and Jumping Crocodile Cruises.

So if you are in Darwin and would like to spend a few days in a nice secluded bush setting, give Garry & Jean a ring on 089 886-185 and you will find yourself made most welcome.

Hey!!!
What's this?

Perhaps you have often wondered how some of the photographs appearing in this magazine are captured.

The results of this intrepid photographers journey onto the clubhouse roof can be seen on page 21.

Photo: Les Olsen

WELLINGTON SUN CLUB Inc.

First Impressions: After considerable research I found it. Why hadn't I thought of looking under 'H' for Health, Hospitality and Harmony in the yellow pages before now? My courage having twice failed me, I eventually arranged a rendezvous with a member at the Wellington Sun Club.

Seeing my first unclothed club member on my arrival had me rapidly redressing the urge to have a fit of the giggles. This was soon overcome as I was captured by the charm of the unpretentious and well cared for Club grounds.

Having completed my introduction - the first hurdle - I decided to revisit the Club on a day they were holding their Turf Sports. While these events took place, my mind couldn't stop humming the song by Peter, Paul and Mary "Blowing in the Wind". I found myself checking that my sanity was still intact.

One afternoon, still feeling quite unaccustomed to the activities and the surrounds, I had to muster the courage to 'reach' the Club rooms for a much needed cup of tea. I was by the pool and the distance I needed to travel seemed colossal. I embarked on my maiden journey across the lawn (which felt as long as the Wellington airport tarmac and twice as daunting), finally reaching my destination and lined up for my cuppa. Clutching my mug of tea tightly in both hands, I steadied my gaze at eye level, grappled with my insecurities and conducted, what I hoped was, congenial 'garden party' conversation.

Anxious and slightly faint-hearted, I drew comfort once again from my warped sense of humour - imagining what hat the Queen might wear to such an occasion!

My terrible jitters began to subside as I began to enjoy the good company of some quite remarkable people - they were all so friendly.

Since those early days I have visited the Club on a regular basis, with each visit being very special. Is it the people, who are unencumbered of prudish hang-ups. Is it being made to feel so welcome? Is it the delectable barbecues I've enjoyed with other members? Or is it the participation or observing of recreation without the restriction of clothing? Whatever the reason, to tan by the pool, to swim in the rain or to read with the tranquillity of such a beautiful setting is very special. I'm so glad I had the courage to find and to join the absolutely fabulous 'Wellington Sun Club'.

SOUTHERN-ORCHARD-ALPINE
INTERCLUB TOURNAMENT 1995

The success of this weekend, I think, was due to the attitudes of every person who was there. The weekend is intended to be basically a social gathering of old and new friendships between and within clubs, with a low key emphasis on games and sports.

The competing for the WOODEN SHIELD, donated by SSHC last year is symbolic of the good sportsmanship between the clubs.

Saturday mornings programme began with all enjoying games of table tennis, petanque, mini golf, plus a simple version of croquet automatically dubbed 'crocky' thanks to Don's (mis)spelling. By lunch break temperatures had soared to mid 30's and such was the flexibility of the people and the programme that it was an easy decision to abandon the games to move en masse down to the Taieri River. A brilliant afternoon followed. Our youngest nudist (Sarah, 2) and oldest (Winston, 84) formed a bond, wonderful to see.

There were various methods of cooling off in the water. Some snorkelling, gold panning, but most just fell into the water not waiting for the inevitable 'helpful' hand.

We returned back to camp for a Pot Luck BBQ Tea, with ample culinary delights to satisfy all tastes. Again Joyce came up trumps with her skill for food preparation. A relaxing evening followed with not a lot of energy left after the heat.

Sunday dawned another promising day heat-wise. It become clear another trip to the river was going to be in store, so madness set in and we played a couple of team relay games to help make points for a decision on who was taking the shield home.

It is not easy as it would seem to hop along on crutches, toss an air-filled balloon into a pool of water or pop balloons with darts. Orchard managed the best time in that event. The fact that they spilt more water over themselves than into the bucket in the next game may have lost them the shield for 1995.

The difference in points between Orchard & Alpine was a teeny one eighth of a point!

Alpines' membership turnout of 40%. over Orchard's 26% and Southern's 2% tipped the scales definitely in favour of Alpine Lakes taking home the shield.

We look forward to more support for more fun and games next year when we hope South Canterbury will join us.

AUCKLAND SUN CLUB INC.

Impressions of the AGM.

The AGM has come and gone, for yet another year, Without the company of quite a few, whom a place on the committee did fear;

The grounds were looking excellent, a sight for all to see, As one by one the cars arrived, how many would there be? The chrysanthemums beside the path, nodded greetings as one passed, Lawns were clipped and manicured, to each last blade of grass;

Our clubrooms looked all spic and span, with windows shiny clean, Views we see through all of them, are picturesque, serene.

The This call a welcome and Wood Pigeons fly on by, Though the wind is strong and blustery, we're under clear blue sky; Two hearty souls, with nothing on but hats upon their heads, Showed summer was still hanging on, by a single thread.

As time draws close, the throaty roar of a Harley greets ones ear, Our trusty friends just cruise on in, garbed in fringed leather gear; Vice President Jeff presiding, and to order came the call, As all in sundry headed in, to become seated in the hail.

Large logs blaze in the fireplace, a cosy atmosphere prevailed, To offer warmth and comfort, to members not so brave;

The business it was dealt with, and problems sorted out, It was soon time for elections, where names were bandied about.

The Committee now elected, will serve us well, and take on any flak, If you weren't one prepared to stand, don't complain behind their back; The meeting soon was over, the kettle on the boil, Refreshments then were proffered, a great variety shared by all.

Back outdoors to soak up the sun, and debate how cold the pool, With sounds like "anyone who goes in there today, would have to be a fool";

Slowly members drifted off, to wend their way back home, The stalwarts lingered for a sauna, or a spa filled up with foam.

Our friends from other clubs called by to share companionship, A few of us were noticed out there in the pool, to have an ice cold dip; Late dinner taken around the fire, the logs still glowing bright, But time must come to bid farewell, and head off into the night.

With the new financial year ahead, let's greet it with a smile, Support you Club, bring in a friend, and help make it all worthwhile; The club still functions during winter, there's always lots to do, Play games, just chat, work on the grounds - it's entirely up to you!

HIBISCUS COAST SUN CLUB INC.

The weather is cold and very wet but the days are getting longer again. A pleasing feature of the past summer and autumn was the increased number of members and visitors camping on the club grounds at Orewa.

We have had visitors from Dunedin and as far a field as Denmark. A big thank you to all those attending the Hot Pool nights at Helensville. The numbers at these swim nights are approaching the hey! days of the late 'seventies' and early 'eighties'

A special thank you is extended to the big contingent of Auckland Outdoor Health Club members who regularly attend.

A group of our members attended the International Naturist day at Auckland Sun Club recently and enjoyed the great company, good food and of course our hosts Sauna and Spa which provided a fitting conclusion to a glorious days outing.

We are looking forward to a great summer and send best wishes to all from KIRAKAU'.

AUCKLAND OUTDOOR HEALTH CLUB INC.

The annual mid-winter Xmas party was held a few weeks ago and was greatly enjoyed by some ninety-five members.

Father and mother Xmas attended and handed out presents to all and later on the evenings entertainment was provided by the "Oranui Players" who gave their version of "Little Red Riding Hood".

This was a humorous affair which provided plenty of opportunity for audience participation. Dancing to the amplified guitar of Phil's Maorioke continued until the early hours of the morning when everyone departed to see the final of the All Blacks vs South Africa in the World Rugby Cup.

As always, the club welcomes applications from prospective members and if last years influx can be surpassed it will be a very successful year indeed.

Some of your readers, who are planning to spend their holidays in Sydney in the next few years, especially for the Sydney Olympics in the year 2000, might be interested in learning about an excellent nude beach that's accessible by public transport. I grew up in Melbourne which had no nude beaches so I've learnt to appreciate the Sydney Free Beaches. When I left Melbourne I went into the army, which gave me the chance to travel, see other countries and cultures and this opened my eyes to an alternative lifestyle from the middle class suburban life I'd been living. I've always been interested in bush walking, conservation and the back to nature philosophy so when I finished my time in the army, I settled in the township of Engadine on the southern outskirts of Sydney, right next door to the Royal National park. Through my love of bush walking, I spent a lot of time exploring the park and discovering numerous bush trails and quiet isolated beaches which were ideal for sunbathing and skinny dipping. Werrong in particular became my favourite beach.

To get there (if you don't have a car), catch the Wollongong train from Central Station Sydney, alight at Otford on the southern edge of the park and after a brisk walk through the bush, you arrive at Werrong beach. It was declared a legal nude beach in the mid- seventies and is popular with nudists, bush walkers, surfers and fishermen.

Some other Sydney nude beaches accessible by public transport are Lady Jane Beach at Watsons Bay and Little Jibbon Beach at Bundeena; an official nude beach which is very popular. To reach this beach, catch the train from the city to Cronulla. Take the Bundeena ferry, walk up the hill past Jibbon Beach and around the peninsular to Little Jibbon Beach.

Photo: Mike Fernando

Photo: Richard Olsen

To reach Lady Jane Beach, catch the 324 or 325 bus from Kings Cross or Circular Bay. The bus trip alone, is one of the best in the city, as it travels through some very scenic suburbs with great views of Sydney. The bus terminates at Watsons Bay and after a short walk towards the south head lighthouse you will find Lady Jane Beach.

After spending the day sunbathing I can recommend adjourning to the beer garden of the Watson Bay pub to enjoy a seafood meal.

The beer garden looks out over the water to the city skyline in the distance so it is a popular place with both tourists and Sydney siders alike.

Dear Editor

What is the purpose of a rally? Do the organisers have a mission statement, if so do they adhere to this? Is it just a form of revenue gathering for the host club? Is it just a time for socialising or is it a combination? Are the aims, purposes and goals established and then followed through? Obviously in addition to the sporting opportunities and inter club interaction much goes into the social aspects. A sort of an idyllic situation isn't it when a group of people with a common bond can come together in a clothes free environment and enjoy a week in a relaxed friendly environment, free from the stresses and pressures of today’s demands.

Rallies are not just for sports, they are not just for relaxation and socialisation, but are a combination of all three. Allowing time throughout the rally for people to do their own thing, be it playing with the children, lazing about relaxing with a good book, swimming, sleeping or just renewing acquaintances. The sports fanatics as well as the organisers will run themselves into the ground. Everyone finds their own level of commitment.

Let us now consider where we have come from and where we might be going? Geriatric, now I ask you? What an insulting name for a sports event. Take a look around at the next rally and see how many rally goers would fall into this category. I'm sure that you would be surprised. Of course the answer is none. What I would suggest is that there is a goodly and growing number of more mature people, who still retain all the skills, abilities and co-ordination for sports participation.

What is lacking is the agility and quickness of physical re-action. Ask anyone in that age group if they feel like a geriatric, you will get an emphatic, "No' Someone out there suggested that this group be called "Recycled Teenagers' okay getting better and certainly good for a laugh, but how about "Masters" and Vets" as a constructive suggestion? This then would allow for three sections in miniten, with players being able to play in the section according to their eligibility. You might say, they can play the less passive sports such as bowls, pentanque, darts, draughts etc, their needs are well catered for.

Indeed so they are. But, there are many fit and active people who still retain the skills of miniten and volleyball, only the body has slowed down. Have rally organisers ever thought about a section in the swimming events for this particular age group? Let's do away with the rigidity and repetitiveness of the past and be a little more flexible with the program. I must add that at the 'Pine Glades' rally Top Team activities certainly catered for all whether it be age, ability, children or adults. They were not too strenuous, lots of fun, although one or two activities left a little to be desired.

It's always great to see activities arranged especially for the children, perhaps this could go a step further and on no more than two evenings or during happy hour have some organised activities so as the parents can have a little time out.

Disco music is fine so long as it is playing to the audience. Of course the disc jockey needs to understand that we are not deaf teenagers at the local nite club and that by exercising his fingers on the volume control, people's participation and enjoyment would be greatly enhanced. Which brings me to another point. Why does it have to go to the wee small hours every night?

Of course money is a prime mover, but I would suggest that organisers would do well to remember not to price themselves out of reach of rally attenders and secondly they must never skimp when it comes to providing facilities. For instance the marquee should without fail be large enough to comfortably cater for those attending as well as have space to hold certain indoor sports.

Entertainment doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate, perhaps one good act as a draw takes away a thousand memories of the right kind. Of course, rallies cost a lot in time and money, so it is desirable that at the end of the week, the many people who at great cost travel long distances to attend, go away feeling that the organisers gave something in return. This of course does so much more for the improving club relationships and hopefully guaranteeing attendance at the next rally.

Ray Coates, W.O.S.

Obituary: Julie

Sadly we record the passing of Julie from Rotota Sun Club.

She was very well known as P.J.'s assistant at the discos that have been so popular at recent NZNF Rallies.

Her sudden death at Hastings was a shock to us all and she will be sadly missed by her naturist friends.

Julie's photo appeared on the inside back cover of our last issue and it is difficult to believe that this lovely young woman is no longer with us.

Sincere condolences are expressed to P.J. and the members of Julie's family.

Dear Editor,

Last year in issue No.150 you were kind enough to publish my letter which referred to the disadvantage of disablement. I did receive three calls which rather disappointed me. I do really miss the company of people of like interests and was surprised that there seemed little interest from people willing to get in contact. Not only disabled folk but those who have an interest in meeting people for day or evening chats and perhaps hot pool visits or other outings. Any people of either sex regardless of age or status whether disadvantaged or not willing to meet or help would be welcome to make contact. Though the present weather (July) is not appealing, summer is coming and can be lonely for the person not able to get about freely. Hopefully some people will make contact as I feel this is something we can do to help each other. If you would like to discuss the idea of getting a group formed I am available on 09 827-0699. Thank you.

Martin,

Supporter Group Member

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. 154 September 1995

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

Business Manager:

Frank Murphy

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 2925,
AUCKLAND.
NEW ZEALAND

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

New Zealand
Nudist Federation Incorporated
P.O. Box 1359. Wellington.
NEW ZEALAND

President: Brent Thomson
Auckland (09) 279-4751

Secretary: Peter Moosberger
PO Box 74 257 Market Road,
Auckland 1005
tel/fax: (09) 520-0796

Applications for membership of clubs should be made direct to the club secretary (see the Club Directory).

PHOTO CREDITS

Doug Ball - P1

Doug Cousins - P2, P3, P4, P5, P12A

Les Olsen - P6, P11, P17

Rob Williams - P7 - Graham Hall - P21

Hap Hathathaway - P8, P9

Peter Moosberger - P10

Mike Fernando - P20A - Richard Olsen - P20B

Richard West - FC, IFC, IBC

Wal Smithson - BC - Tony Hodskiss - P16, P16

DEADLINES FOR COPY

155 December 1995 - 1 October 1995

156 March 1996 - 30 January 1996

157 June 1996 - 20 April 1996

158 September 1996 - 25 June 1996