THREW HIS ARMS UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 308, 29 December 1934, Page 6

THREW HIS ARMS UP.

SWIMMER'S STRANGE CONDUCT. LIFE EEEL RUN OUT. The exceedingly foolish behaviour of a swimmer about 400 yards off the Fitzroy beach, Taranaki. on Thursday afternoon, caused the beach patrol eonir anxiety and an unnecessary swim, and occupied the life-saving reel for some time when it might have been genuinely required elsewhere. The swimmer had been in the water for sonic time when he turned over on his bac kand commenced throwing his arms about. The alarm was immediately given, and the reel manned for the beltman to undertake an arduous swim. Two or three times the unknown swimmer disappeared from the surface, and when the beltman had almost reached him he turned about and swam away. The, beltman called him, and explained his feelings forcefully, after which the rescuer was pulled ashore. Sensing that his unpopularity was considerable, the swimmer proceeded some distance along the foreshore and landed away from the crowd. The patrol, however, had been watching him, and when he walked up the beach the} expressed their opinions of his actionin no uncertain language. He explained that ' he was merely swimming backstroke, but the patrol became considerably enraged when he further explained that he had disappeared from the surface by "duck-diving." He said he "was just giving them something to swim for." His behaviour was commented upon not only by the patrol but by many spectators who had visions of a man drowning while he cried "wolf" a n<l then disported himself further.