ISLAND BAY CLUB OPENS SEASON

Evening Post, Issue 113, 10 November 1930, Page 16

ISLAND BAY CLUB OPENS SEASON

The season of the' Island Bay.L'ifesaving and Surf , Club ..was. opened on Saturday. Owing, to the inclement weather, the'function could not be held out of doors, and took place in the clubhouse. There was a very large attendance, including representatives of the Worser Bay, Maranui, and Lyall Bay Life-saving Clubs. Apologies for non-attendance were received from the Mayor, Sir. G. A. Troup, and Messrs. A. Dicker, F. J. Jones, and Wl J. Churchill, vice-presidents. The club's president, Mr. T. Rieketts, extended a welcome to those present, and particularly to Mr. K. A. Wright, M.P., ■who had beeu patron of the club for the past ten years. Mr. Wright congratulated the club on its opening day, and hoped that the season would be most successful. The Island Bay Club, he said, was one of the healthiest and strongest in and around Wellington. It had maintained its position in the dark days of the war, when so; many young men went overseas. :. Mr. R. M'Keen; M.P., said that this was the third time he bad been present with Mrs. M'Keen at the club's opening day. The demonstrations given by' the club were very fine and were of great, educational value, especially to those who were not swimmers. Many lives were lost, annually through lack of knowledge of swimming,, and the surf clubs throughout New Zealand, were .doing great work in. safeguarding thelives of. bathers. : Mr. W. H. Gertie, a member of theRoyal Life-saving Society executive, wished the club a successful season. He hoped that the Island Bay' Club would be seen more often in competitions at the Te Aro Baths. The club, he said, could hold a gala and carnival day on the Island Bay Beach. Mr. P. Coira, chairman- of :the Wellington Swimming Centre and a representative of the Royal Humane. Society; stressed the value of swimming competitions to those who hoped to become, swimmers of class. The number of deaths, from drowning in New Zealand, said Mr. Coira, was higher, with regard to population, than those of almost any other country in the world. A season or two ago there were 140 deaths from drowning. It' an epidemic removed a similar number of lives immediate remedial steps would be taken. Yet the; Government had taken away the subsidy: of £350 "formerly paid to the swimming authorities. Nevertheless, 25,000 people had been taught to swim last year. The £350 granted by the Government, said the speaker, was barely enough to cover, the cost of printing the certificaten. The. council did not subsidise surf clubs, yet subsidised baiids. Tf there were no surf, clubs the council would have to employ men to do their work. Hecalculated that; in'this way the surf clubs-had saved the' City Council over £20,000. _ i Afternoon tea was- provided. A fourman, a seven-man, and an alarm run-out: were held. ■ '."■-' •'--"'■■■■' ;