SURF LIFE-SAVING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22968, 21 February 1938, Page 15

SURF LIFE-SAVING

PROBLEM OF FINANCE INSURANCE FIRMS' INTEREST A SUBSIDY SUGGESTED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Sunday A new aspect of the problem of financing voluntary life-saving authorities in New Zealand was introduced at a meeting which formed a lifesaving club at Oakura Beach, where a young man was drowned recently. It was suggested it might be in the interests of insurance companies if they subsidised life-saving authorities and thus assisted in preventing needless loss of life, which was a heavy drain on the companies. "The question of surf patrols on New Zealand beaches is rapidly becoming a national cue," said Mr. R. G. Howell, president of the Taranaki Surf Life-saving Centre. Over a period of six days recently eight drownings had occurred. On all sides steps were taken to prevent the needless loss of life, as, for instance, the large-scale motor accident prevention campaign undertaken by the Government. Now the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, was showing a real interest in surf work. Fire boards, Mr. Howell pointed out, were subsidised by the insurance companies to protect their own interests, yet swimming, in which the majority of the population of the country indulged during the summer, had to be practically selfdependent for financing its protection. During the past few years drownings had averaged 158 for each season, and unfortunately they were mostly young lives that were lost, continued Mr. Howell. Working on the basis that half the population was insured, and that even 70 of those 158 lives lost were insured for £2OO each, the insurance companies had paid £14.000, perhaps in many cases needlessly. Was it not time, then, that the companies took the interest that they had in firefighting and prevention?