PRESENTATIONS AT CHRISTCHURCH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1911, Page 2

PRESENTATIONS AT CHRISTCHURCH

JBT TttlflßAPa— PM9S ASBOCTATIOS.] CHRISTCHItRCH, 12th October. At a meeting of the Court of Directors of the Koyal Humane Society of New Zealand, the following awards were Made:— ' A silver medal w_as awarded to Charles A. Cowan (aged 27) for rescuing James M'Leod (aged 20) from drowning at Auckland on 3rd February, 1911. At 7 a.m. on the date mentioned M'Leod fell into the water at Manukau Heads, and waa floating face downwards, when Charles Cowan, in full working clothes, dived in to his rescue between the steamer Putiki and a rock, where M'Leod disappeared under the eurface. Cowan failed in his firat attempt to secure the drbwning man. H« dived again 'under the ship,' and Was thid.timffTsuccessful. Cowan was thoroughly exhausted, and had to be- helped up with ropee. The place where M'Leod went down is infested with flharkn, and had it not been for the prompt reecue 'by Cowan theman would jnout likely have perished. A silver medal was awarded to George H. Voyce (17) for reecuing Thomaa F. Gardiner (9) from drowning at Lyttelton, on Saturday, 22nd July, 1911, about 8.30 p.m., th© night being very dark and cold. Juet as the steamship Maori was leaving the wharf under way, a young lad named Gardiner fell overboard in doee vicinity to the stern of the vessel. Almost immediately George H. Voyoe divested himself of hie coat and jumped overboard, caught hold of the la<d and ewam with him to a pile, where he was hauled up on the whari by onlookers. There- ia no doubt that th© act was extremely meritorious, as the rescuer did it at the risk of his life, the propellers of the steamer being -in motion, and he practically jumped into a cauldron of boiling water. A bronze medal was awarded to Clarence C. V. Daviefi (21) for rescuing A. S. M'Phail (30), and John D. Connell (19), from drowning at Waingongoro beach. At about 11 a.m. on 2nd April, some men went out to bathe, including A. L. M'Phail and John D. Connell. They had not been in the water very long when they started to swim bsick, but the current being very strong they soon got into difficulties. C. fiavies, who wa* among the spectators on the beach, soon went in to their wectte. He succeeded in getting M'Phail out eafely, and then Davies attached himself to a fishing line,, and managed to reach Connell and get hold of him. Then he called out for tho line to be pulled, which the people on the beach did. When nearing the shore tho line broke, and some- of the spectators had to come to their assistance. Davies showed much promptness and Ejreat presencce of mind.. A framed certificate was awarded to Cecil Ellison (15) for rescuing William Curlew and Alfred Hart from drowning at Wellington on 14th May, 1911. '>n the date mentioned, about 6.20 p.m., three boys >were capsized in a 12ft sailing scow. Curlew and Hart could not swim. Hart scrambled up on to the bow, "and lillison assisted Curlew up alongside Hart. The boat would not stand th© weight of the three boys, so Ellison volunteered to swim ashore fof i help, and had much difficulty in doing so, as he was fully dressed. H© bravely fought his way in tho dark to the Boat Harbour against a strong wind, and waa picked up in a very exhausted state. The boat, rid of Ellison's weigttt, supported th« other two boys until thoy were rei»cued by Harbour Board men in a nulk ooat. ; A certificate was awarded to Albert Dent (35) for rescuing Harold Payne (6i) from drowning at Whangarei Town Wharf on 26th June, 1911. At 4 p.m. a small boy named Harold Payne, who was nshing on the wharf, overbalanced himself and fell into the water, and, being unable to swim, satik several times. Dent, who was near by, went to nis fescue, and after mucn difficulty succeeded, in bringing htm to shore in a. very exhausted and unconscious state. If he Had not been resciied at the time, the lad would certainly have been drowned. A certificate was awardec? t% Kenneth U. 13. M'Lean (12) for rescuing George Nixon (10) from drowning at Auckland on 30th November, 1910, at 4.30 p.m. George Nixon was swimming off DeVonport beach with water-wings, and got Out into deep water The wash from the ferry steamer took his wings away from him. and hr was in danger of being df owned, when Kenneth M'Lean, who was near-by, plunged into the water arid swam to his assistance. After much struggling and difficulty tbe boy M'Lean succeeded] in getting George- Nixon ashore, hut not oefore they wove both very exhausted. But for the promptness and presence of mind of M'Lean, the little lad would cortainly have been dxown€d.