SERVICE TO SURF LIFE SAVING

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27914, 10 March 1956, Page 3

SERVICE TO SURF LIFE SAVING

L. J. Sutherland’s Fine Record

When the Sumner Surf Club some years ago made L. J. Sutherland a life member, it was not an honour lightly bestowed: Jim Sutherland’s contribution to surf life-saving has been outstanding, and it was not through chance that he rose to hold the highest office the sport can offer. Today Jim Sutherland can still handle a surf ski capably, but his competitive days are behind him. He joined the Sumner club in 1921. and today his record of rescues is thought to be second only to that of Alan Dalton, of North Beach. Sutherland is the last person to provide details of his rescues, and the actual figure is unknown. His first rescue was in 1923, when a boy fell off the old pier at Clifton, then surrounded by deep water

As an administrator. Sutherland has a particularly proud record. He was president of the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Association from 1952 to 1954, and until he retired at the beginning of this season he had been president of the Canterbury association for about seven years. During his term as national president he was also president of the Canterbury association and the Sumner club—a situation probably without parallel in New Zealand. Jim Sutherland was also a most competent hockey player some years ago. He was a member of the first Hatch Cup schoolboys' team, which played at Lancaster Park in 1920 and was beaten. 4-3 by Otago. Last year his son Peter was a member of the Hatch Cup team. Jim Sutherland was a member of the Canterbury Hockey Association from 1930 to 1934, and gained representative honours in several grades up to senior. He had the distinction of being in winning teams in every grade except senior, where his team was runner-up. He began his playing career for the Technical Old Boys club, but played for Redcliffs after the club was formed in 1928. He won a fine reputation as a centre-half. Now his main interest is surf lifesaving, and with his membership of the Canterbury Association unbroken since 1927. he has the record for the longest service. This season he has been referee at the Canterbury surf championships and has also acted as a judge. He has been on the Canterbury board of judges since 1930 and the national board since 1940. Little wonder, then, that his views and his advice invariably command the greatest respect.