THE ROLL OF HONOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14810, 13 October 1911, Page 6

THE ROLL OF HONOUR.

HUMANE SOCIETY AWARDS.

RECOGNITION OE BRAVERY.

SOME GALLANT RESCUES.

[BT telegraph.— ASSOCIATION.] Ohristchtjrch, Thursday. At a meeting of the court of. directors of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand the following awards were made:— SQvor Medal: Charles A. Cowan (27), for rescuing James McLeod (20) from drowning at Auckland on February 3, 1911. At seven a.m. on the date mentioned McLeod fell into the water at the Manukau Heads, and was floating face downwards, when Charles Cowan, in full working clothes, dived in to his rescue between the steamer Putiki and a rock. McLeod disappeared under the surface, and Cowan failed in his first attempt to secure the drowning man. He dived again undeo the ship, this time being successful. Cowan - was thoroughly exhausted, and had to bo helped up ' with ropes. The place where McLeod went down is infested. with sharks, and had it not been for the prompt rescue by Cowan the man would most likely have perished. Silver Medal: George H. Voyce (17), for rescuing Thomas H. Gardiner (nine) from drowning at Lyttelton on Saturday, July 22,1911. About 8.30 p.m., the night being very dark and cold, just as the steamship Maori was leaving the wharf a young lad named Gardiner fell overboard in close vicinity to the stern of the vessel. Almost immediately George H. Voyce divested himself of his coat. and jumped overboard, caught hold of the lad, and swam with him to a pile, where he was hauled up on to the wharf by the onlookers. There is no doubt that the act was extremely meritorious, as the rescuer did it at the risk of his life, the propellers of the steamer being in motion. Bronze Medal: Clarence C. V. Davies (21), for rescuing A. S. McPhail (30) and John D. Conneli (19) from drowning at Waingongoro beach at about 11 a.m. on April 2 Some men went out to bathe, Including A. S. McPhail and J. D. Conneli. They had not been in very Jong when they started to swim back, but the current being very strong they soon got into difficulties. C. Davies, who' was among the spectators on the beach, soon went in to their rescue. He succeeded in getting MePhail out safely, and then Davies attached himself to a fishing line and managed to reach Conneli and get hold of him. Then he called out for the lino to be pulled, which the people on the beach did. When nearing the shore the line broke, and some of the spectators had to come to their assistance. Davies showed much promptness and great presence of mind.

Framed Certificate: Cecil Ellison (15), for rescuing William Curlew and Alfred Hart from drowning at Wellington on May 14, 1911. On the date mentioned, at about 6.20 p.m., three boys were capsized in a 12ft sailing boat. Curlew and Hart could not swim. Hart scrambled up on to the bow and Ellison assisted Curlew up alongside Hart. The boat would not stand the weight of three boys, so Ellison volunteered to swim ashore for help, and had much difficulty in doing so, as lie was fully dressed. He bravely fought his way in the dark to the boat harbour, against a strong wind, and was picked up in a very exhausted state. The boat, rid of Ellison's weight, supported the other two boys until they were rescued by Harbour, Board men in a hulk boat.

Certificate: Albert Dent (55), for rescuing Harold Payne (6|) from drowning at the Whangarei Town Wharf on June 26. 1911. At four p.m. a small ; boy named Harold Payne, who was fishing on the wharf, overbalanced.himself, and fell into the water, and being unable to swim sank several times before Dent.. who was near by,' went to his rescue.' After much difficulty Dent succeeded in bringing him to the shore in a very exhausted and unconscious state. If not rescued at the time the lad would certainly have been drowned.

Certificate: Kenneth G. B. McLean (12), for rescuing George H Nixon (10) from drowning at Auckland on November 30, 1910. At 4.30 p.m. George Nixon was swimming off the DevonpoTt beach with water-wings, and got into deep water.' The wash from a ferry steamer took his wings away from him, and he was in danger of being drowned when Kenneth McLean, who was near by, plunged into the water and swam to his assistance. After much struggling and difficulty the boy McLean succeeded in getting George Nixon ashore, but not before they were both very -exhausted. But for the promptness and presence of mind of McLean he lad would certainly have been drowned.

CHILD SAVED FBOM DEATH. A COURAGEOUS CONSTABLE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—-SPECIAL CORESPONDENT.] ' .:'..■•*■ • Wellington*, Thursday.r His Excellency the Governor, Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, this afternoon, at Government House, presented Police-Constable Sleeth with the Certificate of Honour of the Order for bravery in rescuing a child from certain death. Lord Islington said that in compliance with a command from His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Grand Prior of St. John of Jerusalem in Bngland, ho had much pleasure in conferring upon Constable Sleeth this certificate in recognition of his conspicuous bravery on November 6 last. A tramcar from Lambton Quay was travelling towards Willis-street, when a email child ran in front of it. ; The constable rushed across the street and pulled the child from almost underneath the wheels of the car, and in doing so endangered his own life., The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, in addition to the various institutions connected with it,'both for ambulance work, nursing, and charitable aid undertakings, had established an award of various degrees for acts of gallantry in attempting to save life. This was annually presented by the Grand Prior to those who had earned them and were resident in England, 'but when the recipient was resident in one of the dominions of the Empire, as in the present case, the Grand Prior asked the Governor of the dominion, as the King's representative,, to present it on behalf of His Royal Highness. This ho had great pleasure in doing, and in offering his congratulations to : the recipient.