N.Z. SURF TEAM RETURNS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22345, 8 March 1938, Page 16

N.Z. SURF TEAM RETURNS

EXPERIENCES IN N.S.W. DIFFERENCES IN DRILL (HUMS ASSOCIATION TELEGKAM.) WELLINGTON, March ?. "We could practically hold our own in the rescue and resuscitation events, and in belt matches, but when it came to the straight-out surf races, where one had to take advantage of the incoming surf our men lacked experipnee compared with the New South Wales competitors," said Mr H. S. Feast, of Christchurch, manager of the New Zealand life-saving team, which returned to-day from Sydney by the Awatea, after competing m the lifesaving events at the New South Wales sesquicentenary celebrations. Mr Feast said that the greatest difficulty the New Zealanders experienced was in having to re-learn their drill. The Australian drill differed considerably from the New Zealand drill, and it was not possible to learn the drill properly from a handbook. In many details there were differences and time that otherwise would have been taken in perfecting the team's work had to be devoted to learning the new drill. The team received great help from the Australian officials, who allocated instructors to the New Zealand team. Mr Feast said that the question whether the New Zealand drill would be brought into conformity with the Australian procedure, was a matter for the New Zealand Life-Saving Council. He would make a report on the matter.