SURF LIFE-SAVERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 75, 25 September 1937, Page 11

SURF LIFE-SAVERS

TOUR IN FEBRUARY

DATES ARRANGED

Matters connected with the visit to Australia next February of a team of New Zealand representative surf lifesavers have been decided by the Council of the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Association. The tour is the result of an invitation extended by the Surf Life-saving Association .of Aust tralia, which is to assist in the financial side.

A recent meeting of the council approved of a number of recommendations put forward by the special subcommittee appointed to consider the tour. The team is to leave Wellington by the Awatea on February 8. Thus the members will be able to see the last two days of the Empire Games. Nominees are to ask for five weeks' leave of absence.

The team is to do its training on a Sydney beach, and will have eight days before/ the first carnival to become familiar' with the Australian methods of drill and resuscitation. It has been ascertained also that the cost of board in Australia would be cheaper than if the team assembled and did its training here. It will probably also have the benefit of an Australian instructor.

The Australian Association suggested that the team should take part in an extra carnival to be held on. March 5 on the south coast. It was decided, however, that this would not be complied with, as it would add another week or more to the tour. The team is to leave Sydney on the return journey on March 4.. The costumes to be worn will be black, with a silver fern badge. Members are to assemble on February 7 at Wellington. TJie association is to provide cotton and woollen costumes, blazers, hats, pennant, reel and belt, at a cost, exclusive of the reel, of £45 to £50. MATTER OF DRILL. Some discussion as to the drill to be adopted by the team occurred at a recent meeting of the council. Mr. F. Chapman, delegate for unattached North Island clubs, asked what drill the team would be doing. Mr. P. F. Coira (chairman): They will be working under Australian rules. That will be essential. Mr. Chapman: They will need to be over there a couple of months, not eight days. j Mr. Coira indicated that there would be a recommendation before the annual meeting that Australian rules should be adopted in New Zealand for a season to study the differences. Thus possibly the Australian rules would not be new to the team members. The point that the Australians would not have an opportunity of seeing the New Zealand drill to the best advantage was emphasised by Mr. Chapman. The New Zealand team could not perform well in demonstration runouts under the New Zealand rules after training for a-week under Australian rules. The team would be selected from all over New Zealand, and would be under a strange instructor. If there was anything in the New Zealand rules worth adopting, it wold not;be shown.to advantage under, those conditions, ........ OUR RULES SUPERIOR? He was of the opinion, that points in the.New Zealand rules were definitely superior to- the corresponding points in the Australian rules. He had seen four Australian carnivals last season, and was still of. that opinion. Though the Australian team which visited these shores last February was here some time before the New Zealand championships, it did not- trouble to adopt the New Zealand rules m the six-man rescue and Resuscitation event. Mr W. H. Gerrie said that there was a great deal of variety in the work of teins in different parts of New Zealaif waf decided to hold the matter over for a future meeting.