LIFE-SAVING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 27 October 1941, Page 4

LIFE-SAVING

MINISTER PRAISES WORK \ Al.ri: OF PHYSICAL FITNESS The work of the* Now Zealand S;nT-Life-Saving Association was highly commended by the Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr Parry, v.ho stressed the need for improving the standard of physical fitness in the Dominion, at the annual meeting of the association in Wellington on Saturday night. Because the work hacl to do with the saving of valuable lives, the importance of the association to the community should he more widely realised. and the association itself should be aided in finance by contributions from local bodies, said Mr Parry. Saving live, in the water was probably of more importance than saving it on the roads, for it was usually young persons who were saved from the surf, whereas accidents on the road more often than not involved older people. In his opinion the lives of the young people were the more valuable. For this reason the | work should be put on an equal footing with that of fire brigades and the organisations for the saving of lives on roads. The starting point in the task of teaching the nation to swim would be found m the construction of baths at every school. It v as as essential tc concentrate on the child being able to look after itself as it was to improve him mentally. Difficulties of lifesaving organisations would be greatly overcome by the supply of baths, and ; he thought that this would eventually The vital need for physical fitness work in New Zealand was shown by the reports on health of the men called lor service. The physical fitness move--1 ment did not enter into the war work 'as much as it should, he said. The major portion of illnesses came j about because of New Zealand's lagging behind in essential health teaching. : Doctor’s duties in the future would not ; be so much to cure illnesses as to pro i vent them. New Zealand must launch out on this physical fitness movement with the co-operation of all sports bodies, and the outcome would be a nation lit mentally, morally and spiritually. YEAR’S ACTIVITIES In reply to the Minister, the president, Mr P. F. Coira. gave an assurance that the association would give every possible assistance to the movement. Moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr Coira said that many members had made the supreme sacrifice, and that COO others were on active service. The past year had been one of achievement and progress, and reflected credit on those connected with the association. He commended the work of women’s clubs, mentioning that it was they and the older male members who were being relied upon to carry on the work during the present difficult The following remit was adopted: “That during the coming season the national junior surf life-saving championships be held, and at the same time and place there be instituted the New Zealand ladies’ surf life saving championships.” The election of officers resulted:— Patron, the Governor-General. Sir Cyril Newall: president, Mr P. F. Coira; vice-president, Mr W. H. Gcrric; hon. secretary, Mr N. A. Ingram; hon. treasurer, Mr F. H. Jackson; hon. medical advisers, Sir J. S. Elliott and Dr T. H. Pettit; hon. solicitor, Mr W. J. Beveridge; hon. instructor-in-chief, Mr P. D Edwards; hon. consulting engineer and architect, Mr W. E. Lavelle; hon. auditor, Mr O. J. Mullins; hon. registrar and publicity officer, Mr J. C. Blakely; delegate to Dominion Coun cil. Royal Life-Saving Society, Mr G. D. Griffiths; delegate to Council, New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Mr H. S. Feast; delegates to National Committee of Swimming and Life-Saving, Messrs V. L. Allan and F. H. Jackson.