LIFE SAVING ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 22723, 10 August 1937, Page 7

LIFE SAVING ASSOCIATION

SWCttSFIH. YEAR'S OPERATORS The annual meeting of the Otago branch, of the Royal Life Saving Society was held in the Municipal Baths club room last night, Mr H. H. Henderson presiding. CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS. The adoption of the annual report was moved by the chairman, who stated that, in spite of the difficulties experienced as a result of the infantile paralysis epidemic, the past year had been crowned with success. Although the number of awards issued during the year had been smaller than in previous years, 1 it was a matter for con- . gratulation that it was as high as it was, and the society looked forward to better results next year. They were indebted to Mr A. J. Kingsland, of Invercargill, and Mr M. K. M'CuHoch, of Oamaru, for the enthusiastic manner in which they had worked as the society’s representatives. One of the most important competitions conducted by the society during the year was that for secondary school boys, which had been won by the Southland Boys’ High School team. Competitions of this type were especially valuable, for they thught the boys the full value of life saving. Mr A. Findlay bad also done exceifcnt work in coaching the Boys’ Brigades in life saving, the contest for the companies having been won by the Central Mission team. The National Cbuncil of Swimming and Life Saving, which had recently been formed, had made representations to the Government asking that more and better baths facilities should he provided for the tuition of swimming and life saving in the Dominion. The Government could assist to a great extent by providing baths for schools and by subsidising local bodies to enable them to construct more baths. The aim of the council was to impress on the Government the advisability of encouraging swimming as a healthy sport. The society’s financial position at the end of the year- was good, the revenue being £34 14s and the expenditure £27 16s. The credit balance at the close of the , year stood at £73. Fortunately the society had not been called upon to purchase any quantity of stock, such as medallions, etc., during the year, as it had had a sufficient supply left over ■from the previous year to supply its requirements. The motion was seconded by Mr D. C. Bannatyne and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected: — Patron, Hon. F. Jones, M.P. ; president, Mr H. H. Henderson; vice-pre-sidents—the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), Messrs J. W. Munro, M.P., P. Neikon, M.P., A. Findlay, D. C. Bannatyne, E. H. James, J. Pereira, W. Fleming, J. L. M‘lndoe, W. A. Jenkins, H. D. Gillies, W. H. Matthews, P. Boulton, V. Evans, A. J. Kingslapd, ■M. 6. Rodgerson, G. Peat, w. Wood, H. L. Longbottom, M. K. M'Culloch, P. A. Mathieson, A. S. Macdonald, and E. C. Isaacs; hon. treasurer, Mr H. H. Henderson; hon. secretary, Miss M. (B. Mathieson; General Committee—Miss M. Collett, Hro. Ryan, Messrs 6. Brown and W. Kang, with power to add; delegates to the New Zealand Council of Life Sav'i<g Society, Mr F. G. Glackin; delefatea to the Otago Centre, N.Z.A.S.A., [essrs D. C. Bannatyne and A. Findlay; delegates to the Otago branch of the, New Zealand Surf Association—district representatives, Messrs G. Ghapman-Cohen (Owaka), A. J. Kingsland (Invercargill), K. Evans (Balclutha), A. J. Parsons (Gore), M. K. M'Culloch and G. Jones (Oamaru), J. Russell and G. Frye (Alexandra), C. Jackman and Smith (Lawrence), M. Walker (Milton), and M. L. Bohm (Naseby) ; hon. medical officers—Drs D. G. M'Millan, M.P., Clarke Hanan, Stuart Moore, W. Evans, and W. E. Carswell; hon. solicitor, Mr I. Turnbull; hon. auditor, Mr N. M. Sutherland; hon. examiners—Misses N. Fleming, A. Jones. M. B. Mathieson, M. Collett, M. Gibson, Messrs E. H. James, K, Evans, H, H. Henderson, A. Findlay, W. A. Jenkins, M. Taylor. P. A. Mathieson. H. D. Gillies, W. S. Hindmarsh, G. Frye, A. Thomas, G. Chapman-Cohen, J. E. Salisbury, D. G. Bannatyne, C. Lewis, R. Geddes, E. C. Isaacs, M. K. M'Culloch, E. Lewis, P. E. Mathieson, M. J. Rodgerson, C. Durant, J. Cranston, and W. H. Hudson. TEACHING OF SWIMMING. : The question of the pressing need for more extensive tuition of swimming in schools was dealt with by Mr W. A. Jenkins, who said that the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association had made representations to have a special swimming teacher appointed by the Government to undertake such work in the schools in Otago. The support of the society in this move was requested so that further representations could, be made to the proper quarter. Although in many cases the school teachers themselves were prepared to teach swimming, it was felt that a properlyqualified teacher would secure the best results. Mr A. Findlay suggested that more than one teacher would be required if the work were to be carried out properly. The fact that the Education Department was alive to the necessity of providing swimming tuition for school Children was remarked upon by Mr P. A. Mathieson, who said that swimming was now a compulsory subject in the framing College curriculum. Mr W. Wood said it was a disturb- ™ S-fact that less than 20 per cent, of the school children in Dunedin could swim. Mr Mathieson said that, curious although it might seem, some parents did not want their children to be taqght to swim. This was probably duo to the fact that the children were awsent from school for a whole morning each week for their swimming les6»ns, and the parents desired that thev should be taught some other subject instead. Mr Jenkins; That is an argument for the construction of baths in each school. -x d€C ] de<l . ihat the society should write to the education authoritres + - the Dunedin City Council, and the £jaJ>ional Council of Swimming and Life saving, pointing out the poor facilities r°r. the tuition of swimming and life spying that existed in Otago, and stressing the need for more swimming baths and the appointment of a fulltime swimming teacher, who could teach not on y the school children, but also the teachers themselves. DISTINGUISHED SERVICES. It was decided that Messrs iH. H Henderson, A. Findlay, W. Fleming. S’ ® ai J“‘ lt - vne > W. A. Jenkins, and .r. A. Matnieson be recommended for fa© society’s distinguished service medal for long service.