THE LIFE-SAVERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 6

THE LIFE-SAVERS.

Australia's surf life savers have done great work on the beaches of the Commonwealth, and have saved many thousands of over 3000 bathers were brought ashore when in grave difficulties last year alone. A body of men of splendid physique, they have long been familiar to New Zealanders in photographic reproduction, and the Dominion is glad of the opportunity to welcome a representative team and to learn the finer points of an art which has been more highly developed on the shores of Australia than in any other part of the world. No beach of any importance is without its team, and time and effort is ungrudgingly given in this humanitarian service by hundreds of young people with no expectation of reward. It is an extraordinary fact that the saved have very little realisation of their duty to the lifesaving corps. To judge by the contributions he (or she) subsequently offers to the funds of the organisations for new reels, worn-out lines, and so on, the average person who has beenj brought ashore values his life at something less than sixpence. Seldom is any substantial gratitude expressed, and in addition to patrolling the beaches and dashing to the rescue wherever needed, the clubs have themselves to raise the funds which enable them to carry out their heroic work. The position in New Zealand is the same. Possibly this tour will arouse the bather to some sense of duty to the guardian of his safety, bot at least it will prove highly educative to the public-spirited swimmers who man the lifelines in New Zealand.