A PRESSING NEED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1931, Page 14

A PRESSING NEED

LIFEBOAT AT ISLAND BAY

DEPUTATION'S REQUEST

A renewal of the application made some time ago for a lifeboat at Island Bay was made by a deputation which waited upon the Minister of Marina (the Hon. J. B. Donald) yesterday afternoon. Beprescntatives.qf the Island Bay Municipal Electors' Association, the Eoyal Humane Society, the Island Bay Surf and Life-saving Club, and the Cook Strait; Fishermen's Association urged strongly that a lifeboat, properly equipped, should be provided at the earliest possible moment. It was pointed out that an application had been made after the October tragedy, in which three fishermen lost their lives, and now that three more lives had been lost in tlio same locality the.urgent need of adequate* means for the saving , of lives was even more apparent. The fishermen, it was stated, were not only willing to man the boat, but also to train an auxiliary crew to act when the fishermen were not on hand or were in need of assistance themselves. A modern, speedy lifeboat, it was considered, could, be procured and fully equipped at a cost- of about £-15,000, but the Minister suggested that the' amount might be round about £12,000. The amount, according to the views of those making the request, was not great considering the great service that would be rendered. Such a lifeboat could perform rescue work in Cook Strait as well as in Palliser Bay, and with more traffic between the islands, no,w that air services were in operation, the possibility of mishaps was greater. There was no doubt in the minds_ of the deputation that a modern lifeboat should bo provided without delay. The Minister promised to place the matter before the Prime Minister immediately. ■■■'■'