REWARDING THE BRAVE

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1922, Page 5

REWARDING THE BRAVE

HERO WORSHIP IN NEW. SOUTH ,WALES, ' "."" -

(NUKI OCR OWH CORMSPOKDIKT.)

. SYDNEY, 15th February,..'." Inspired by the superlatively gallant act of Jack Chalmers, the (-ex-digger who last week entered the surf ~at Coogee Beach, near Sydney, during the progress of a surfing carnival, and literally tore from the maws of a shark one of his club mates, the people of New South Wales have been swept, by a wave of* hero worship that has extended to the most' remote outback settlements.

Public organisations in the city, and in all parts of the country, have carried resolutions of commendation, and many funds have been opened to provide material recognition of Chalmers'3 bravery. It is expected that Chalmers, .who is married, and who has been out of'work for, some months, will thus benefit 'by at least a couple of thousand pounds. Chalmers's appearance at a carnival on a neighbouring beach a few days ago attracted many thousands of hero-wor-shippers,- who broke' through the barriers in order to shake hands with him, any many police were required to preserve the space required for the carnival.One aged woman dropped to her knees and prayed when she saw Chalmers., Methods for the protection of bathers from the menace of sharks ■ai'e now; being publicly discussed. The Premier has agreed to place a scheme before the Government providing for a bonus to encourage the destruction of sharks, while many of the municipal bodies controlling surfing beaches propose lo frame ordinances for. the suppression of what is known as "shark-baiting," that is in the mrf beyond what is "regarded as the limit of-safety. Another suggestion was that aeroplanes should patrol the beaches and bomb the sharks. 1 -Another phase of the hero-worship has been the public recognition of the gallantry of Raymond Shaw, the youthful •wireless operator of the schooner Helen B. Sterling, who, by sticking at Inn post in the greatest. danger, probably saved the Jives of the whole of the vessel's complement. He has just been publicly presented with 3. wallet of notes.