VALUE OF SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 21, 20 October 1941, Page 3

VALUE OF SWIMMING

Lessons From Statistics

Of Drownings

“At least 21 of the 91 persons drowned were poor swimmers or uonswimniers, and it is the compulsory teaching of swimming and the pro.vision of tuition pools in the schools that is going to reduce the number of drownings that occur in New Zealand,” states Air. E. H. J ackson in the report of the National Committee ox Swimming and Life Saving on the drownings which occurred during the 1940-41 swimming season,' from October to March. “It was hoped that more complete information could 'be obtained fiom corouial Inquiries, but though the Justice Department was prepared to allow the examination of inquest files, the department would not agree to a questionnaire being put by the coroner at inquests,” the report states. . “The number of deaths from drownin"' compared with the deaths from motor vehicle accidents during the mouths October-Alarcb, when the °reater number of drowuiuges occur, show that the deaths from drowulugs exceed -those from motor accidents. This is a clear Indication that educational work in teaching swimming and life-saving, and the money with which to do it, must -be increased if the yearly total of deaths is to be reduced. “Twenty-four lost their lives by drowning in rivers, 13 while bathing and 11 through accidentally being iu the water. At least eight of the fatalities were not witnessed. Only 11 lost their lives while bathing at beaches. Apparently most of the fatalities were witnessed, but help was not forthcoming quickly enough to prevent a tragedy. , ‘ ’■Eighteen were drowned when the boat or canoe they were in capsized. The most striking feature was that of nine double boating fatalities, in all but one case when a boat containing two was overturned in the open sea, at least one -of the occupants managed to reach shore or remain afloat till help arrived. In the eight cases 10 persons were drowned and 21 saved. The evidence indicated that almost all of the 10 lost were non-swimmers or poor swimmers. In other words, no person should go out iu a boat unless he has learnt to swim.

“Only four children under live years of age were drowned during the six months.