Sportsman’s Notebook BEACHES WELL PATROLLED DURING HOLIDAY PERIOD

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29398, 28 December 1960, Page 5

Sportsman’s Notebook BEACHES WELL PATROLLED DURING HOLIDAY PERIOD

Few persons realise the sacrifices made by members of the surfing movement in New Zealand to make New Zealand’s many popular beaches safe for bathers, especially during the Christmas holiday period. During the school holidays, the six Canterbury beaches where surf life-saving clubs are established —Waimairi, North Beach, New Brighton, South Brighton, Sumner and Taylor’s Mistake—are diligently patrolled seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On week days, from Monday to Friday inclusive, a paid “lifer saver” is on duty at each of the beaches. He is always a reliable man and a fairly experienced surfer, quite capable of assisting anyone who gets into difficulties. Selection of the paid beach patrols is made by the Canterbury Surf Life-saving Association from a large number of applications. At the week-ends, right throughout the season as well as in the Christmas holidays, the six beaches are patrolled by unpaid members of the surf clubs at the beaches. Usually the patrols consist of two or three suffers or even a four-man team. No matter what the weather is like, there are always patrols watching the Canterbury beaches. Even on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, patrols were held as usual.

Patrols can be very boring but surfing enthusiasts are well satisfied if their particular beaches are free from drownings. There have been no drownings on patrolled beaches this season, although a number of minor rescues have been made. A youth was drowned at New Brighton beach recently but it was during the week when no patrol was on duty. Last season no drownings were recorded. However, there were 19 rescues, compared with 15 the previous season. Paid beach patrols are as follows:

Waimairi Beach, D. Stewart (first three weeks from December 19), T. Graham (second three weeks); North Beach, L. Austin (six weeks from December 19); New Brighton, R. Claxton (six weeks from December 19). Sumner Beach. R. McDowell (six weeks from December 19), South Brighton, R. Goodman (three weeks); Taylor’s Mistake, M. Mason (three weeks). * ♦ » Amateur Skating More than 500 roller skaters from throughout the Dominion will invade Wellington today to compete in the New Zealand amateur roller skating chatnpionships at Kilbirnie. One of the top speed skaters, R. Leoni, of Auckland, is at present getting experience overseas but two other Aucklanders. D. Espie and G. Lawrence, should provide some spectacular racing. Queensland's free skating pair champions, Miss J. Pierce and C. Organ, will be present and on January 7, the last night of tlje

championships. an Australia versus New Zealand roller hockey match will be held. * * g: Tennis Player Returns Miss Pat Nettleton, one of New Zealand’s prominent tennis players a few years ago, has returned to the Dominion and may play in the Auckland championships next month. Miss Nettleton, who has been out of New Zealand, since 1958, took part in tournaments on the Continent and England. For the last 12 months she has been playing tournament tennis, mainly in Portugal. gi S * Heavy-Weighi Boxing The boxing heavy-weights responsible for a sensation-packed five rounds at Taita earlier in the year, Bluey Allen and Peter Schmidt, will probably have a return bout, organised by the Hutt Valley Boxing Association, in February, 1961. The Hutt Valley Association is also keen to use the services of the Irish light-weight, Tony Creaven, who intends to settle in New Zealand soon and box professionally.