ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27410, 24 July 1954, Page 10

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY

AWARDS MADE FOR BRAVERY

A 10-year-old girl, Nan Wikohika, of Raetihi, was awarded a bronze medal by the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand yesterday for an attempt to save a boy from drowning in the Wanganui river at Pipiriki, on December 29, 1953. Six bronze medals, two certificates of merit, and a letter of commendation were

The citation said that when Nan Wikohika swam to the assistance of Te Whata Bishop in mid-river /he boy was frightened and dragged the girl under the water by the hair. She managed to free herself, but because of her weakened condition could not renew her efforts to save the boy. She just managed to get back to the bank, and had to be lifted from the water. She gave the alarm to some children, who got assistance, but the boy’s body was not recovered till next day.

Mrs Esther Wells, of Pelorus Sound, was awarded a bronze medal for an attempt to save Mary Jane Bates from drowning at the Te Aruhe Bay’ Pelorus Sound, on March 29, 1954. Mrs Wells saw Mr and Mrs H. A. Bates fall into the sea when the dinghy they were in capsized. Fully clothed, she swam out from the shore, and brought the dinghy in to the beach and tried to right it. This proved too much for her strength., She then swam to Mrs Bates, who was unconscious and floating on the water. Wells tried to bring Mrs Bates to the shore, but again her strength gave out, and she was compelled to return to the beach and rest for a few moments. Again she swam out, and this time brought Mrs Bates ashore. At this stage others arrived and artificial respiration was applied to Mrs Bates without success, said the citation. Mr Bates was drowned. Rescue in Rough Sea Mr John Devine, of Runanga, was awarded’a bronze medal for rescuing Michael Scott from rocks about 70 yards from the . shore along the between Westport and Greymouth on January 2, 1953. The citation said that Mr Devine knew the locality well and was fully aware of the risks he would incur in going to the rescue of Scott. There was a rough sea, and it was raining heavily and was dark at the time.

Stewart Michael Turley, of Raglan, aged 16, was awarded a bronze medal for rescuing Joyce Pooley, aged nine years, from drowning in Raglan Harbour, on October 5, 1953. Turley, who was handicapped by the intense cold and was suffering from an abdominal wound which he had sustained about 10 days previously, swam about 300 yards and brought the girl to safety. A fourteen-year-old girl, Jean Oliver, of Wellington, was awarded a bronze medal for rescuing Mr C. A. Woodward from drowning at Bfowns Bay, Auckland, on January 19, 1954. Miss Oliver swam out to Mr Woodward, who was exhausted, and brought him to shore. Two life-savers came to her assistance as she was bringing him ashore.

A bronze medal was awarded to Mr Peter Johnstone, of Devenport, for his rescue of a middle-aged woman in the Auckland Harbour on February 27, 1954. Mr Johnstone was travelling as a passenger in a launch when he saw the woman go over the side. He immediately jumped overboard, fully clothed, to her rescue. It was a very dark night, and the sea was fairly rough. The woman struggled considerably, and both were near exhaustion when picked up by the launch.

Certificates of Merit Betty Nikolaison, of Whangarei, aged 17 and 20 years respectively, were awarded the certificate of merit for a man and his small son from the Whangarei Harbour on October 23, 1953. There was a strong wind blowing at the time, the harbour was rough, and visibility was bad. John and Betty Nikolaison launched a small homemade power boat and brought in the man and boy, who were suffering from shock and exposure after having clung to an upturned boat for at least an hour.

A further award of the certificate was made to David John Packwood, of Lower Hutt, Wellington, for his action in going to the assistance of a man who had got into difficulties in the Porirua Harbour on December 28, 1952. Mr Packwood tried to float the man towards the shore, but when about 40 yards from the shore Mr Packwood himself got into difficulties and had to release his grip on the man. He was assisted ashore by a man who waded out into the sea. When recuperating from an illness at Lake Te Anau, Mr E. W. BrookeTaylor went to the rescue of three small girls who had got out of their depth in the lake on December 1, 1952. He went into the water fully clothed and held up the smallest girl till help arrived, when all three were rescued in an exhausted condition. He was awarded a letter of commendation. The awards were made at the quarterly meeting of the court of directors of the society. At the annual meeting of the society, which was held before the quarterly meeting the following officers were elected:—patron, the Governor-General (Sir Willoughby Norrie); president, Sir Joseph Ward; vice-president, Sir R-. Heaton Rhodes; court of directors, the Dean of Christchurch (the Very. Rev. Martin Sullivan), Messrs H. A. Rhind, S. P. Godfrey, C. A. Cooper, J. L. Will, A. I. Cottrell, A. T. F. Stokes, and E. B. E. Taylor.