COASTGUARDS OF THE SOUTH

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 1 (Supplement)

COASTGUARDS OF THE SOUTH

CROWDS of Christchurch people have flocked to Sumner during recent weeks to see the trawler Muriel, which went aground on the Sumner bar, later driving up the beach until she was fixed hard in the sand with the fringe of the surf lapping, at her sides. When the vessel first struck, her crew was rescued by the Sumner lifeboat, • the Rescue 11. Later, the lifeboat took an important part in the efforts to refloat the Muriel and save her from complete disaster.

The Sumner bar is a notoriously dangeious stretch «T water; cross currents, submerged rocks and big rollers that rise unexpectedly from a calm sea being the hazards that may lead to serious accident and even death. Years ago, when Christchurch was a very small town indeed, much of the traffic between Lvttelton and the city was carried on by way of the Sumner bar, old-time schooners sailing round from Lvttelton to Heathcote. The piercing of the Port Hills so that Christchurch and its port could be connected by rail really sounded the death knell of the river traffic, but, as commercial traffic fell off, the number of yachts on the estuary of the Avon increased, and the necessity for maintaining some service to safeguard human life at Sumner remained as important aa ever.

This brings us to the Sumner lifeboat and its inspiring history. It is the only organised lifeboat institution in New Zealand, and it has saved something like five hundred lives on the Sumner bar. Its history, as with 'so many valuable organisations, goes back to the efforts of one man, nearly seventy years ago. This man was Joseph Day, first pilot at Sumner and first captain of the lifeboat institution. Mr. Day, as a lad, was a close friend of Godley, the founder of Christchurch, and lived in Godley's house at Lyttelton for twelve or eighteen months. Indeed. Godley so liked the boy that he wished to take him to England, but Day's parents would not allow this. Day was appointed signalman at Lyttelton on September 19. 1867. He was in many ways a remarkable man, and one well suited to the heavy calls made upon him as pilot and general custodian of the bar. So strong was Day that lie used to tow schooners over the bar singlehanded in a dinghy. Day himself saved many lives on the bar. He was a powerful swimmer, and, on one occasion, exerted his great strength and endurance to save a number of friends when the dinphy in which "they "had been fishing capsized in the waves.

In 1891 the harbour board established a lifeboat service at Sumner with Mr. Day as the first captain. The boat provided proved unsatisfactory, and an actual lifeboat was secured in 1898. This boat ww christened the Rescue, and no craft was ever more appropriately named. For more than thirty years the Rescue plied her noble trade, and, in that time she was responsible for saving 460 people from death.

The men who formed her crew during this long period were all volunteers, giving up their time to care for their boat and practise lifeboat drill. Their time waa not all they gave up. They risked their lives to save others.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend." You will find that in the Bible, and it admirably expresses the ideals of these brave men, who, through the years, have kept and are still keeping watch and ward on the Sumner bar.

Captain Day remained at the head of the lifeboat institution until 1013, when he was succeeded by Mr. J. Hines. Mr. Hines shortly after resigned on account of bad health, and he was followed by Mr. G. Hines, who is still captain to-day.

In 1928 the old Rescue, celebrating her thirtieth birthday, came to town for a cruise through the streets ef the city. This was part of a plan to raise money for the purchase of a new boat! The old Rescue was outliving her usefulness. She was not self-emptying. She was too slow, and, owing to her great age, she was actually unsafe, and her volunteer crew bad often been in imminent danger.

Encouragement of an appeal to raise funds for the new boat had been given by Lord Jellicoe when he was Governor-General of Xew Zealand. The famous admiral, as one would expect of so kindly a man and great a sailor, took a keen interest in the lifeboat institution. On Lord Jellicoe's arrival in England he sent out plans and specifications of a suitable boat.

(Continued on page 88.)