BEACH PATROLS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19916, 1 May 1930, Page 8

BEACH PATROLS.

PROFESSIONAL STATUS ACQUIRED. LIFE-SAVING SOCIETY OBJECTS. Swimming enthusiasts who take up beach patrol work at present become classed as professional swimmers and have to wait two years and six months before they can be reinstated as amateurs. The matter was discussed at last evening's meeting of the Canterbury Centre of the Royal Life-saving Society when Mr P. G. Bamford moved: "That this centre ask the support of all other centres of the Royal Life-Saving Society in urging upon the amateur swimming associations of the various countries the injustice of the present International Federation rule that denies for an extended period restoration of amateur status to men doing beach patrol or similar work, and asking for such rule to be modified." In support of his motion, Mr Bamford said that the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association was affiliated with the International Federation which had its headquarters in France, where beach patrol work was unknown. He read the rule which stated that professionals who wished to become amateurs had to etand down for two and a half years. He said that it was a very unfair thing that men who gave up their summer to save people from drowning should be stigmatised and classed as professionals. Great difficulties were put in the way of those wishing for reinstatement, thus keeping many good swimmers from doing beach patrol work. If swimming associations throughout the Empire recommended that the rule be amended, something might be done. The Canterbury Centre could not do anything itself, but it could send a recommendation to th» New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, who would in turn pass it on to the International Federation. Mr P. R. CHmie thought that the motion did not go quite far enough. He did not see why a man who took up beach patrol work should lose his amatour status at all. After further discussion it was left to the secretary and president to redraft the resolution and forward copies i to all head centres.