SURFING AT ST. KILDA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20334, 16 February 1928, Page 13

SURFING AT ST. KILDA.

LIFE-SAVING CLUB FORMED. At the invitation of the Mayor of StKilda (Mr R. W, Hall) about 20 persons assembled in the Coronation Hall, St. Kilda, last evening to consider the question of resuscitating the St. Kilda Life* saving Club and forming a society with the object of beautifying the Ocean Beach fronting the borough. Mr Hall said that during the last two months a number of persons, young and old, had been making use of the beach more than formerly He bad got into touch with one or two men connected with the Kiwi Surf Bathing Club, and they had voiced the opinion that something should be done to safeguard those in tire habit of surfing. He thought that they should form a life-saving club. Ht had endeavoured to get what information he could concerning the life-saving club, nojv defunct. 1. lie re was one some years ago, and during its existence it had pur. chased, or had given to it, three sheds, which were in use at the present time. Then the club had a reel, which had been removed to Tomahawk Beach. Two of the sheds, used as dressing rheds, were now in the possession of tho Domain board, and had been leased, while the other ’was in use at the tip. He was satisfied that if a club were formed it must remember that any improvements effected would have to be on the land side of the sandhills. Mr J. H. Hancock had advised him that it would be useless to put any building on the sand. Whether they were residents of St. Kilda, the South end, or the city, all must recognise, what a splendid beach they had for recreation and other purposes, and yet little use was made of it. They were not looking at the matter from a parochial point of view. So far as the old lifeclub was concerned there was a credit* balance in the hands of the treasurer, Mr James Dove, amounting to hW, and Mr Michael Idour had promised a donation of £5 5s towards a life-saving reel and line, or a building, or anything else that might be required. He was quite sure that numbers of citizens would be willing to help and put their hands in their pockets. It was decided that a St. Kilda Beach Improvement Society be formed. It was further resolved that in conjunction therewith a life-saving and surf bathing club be formed. . The officers appointed m connection with the former were: —President, Mr C. Conn ; secretary and treasurer, Mr L. Rutherford; and committee—Mesars Kettle. Hall, Garhutt, Lovell, Drurom, and Palmer. ... In connection with the latter a C0J ”" mittee- consisting of J ! I ? SSI ' S W Rutherford, Palmer, Ritchie, W. Boyd, Drumm, Garbutt, Hector, and W. Hamilton was appointed, Mr Hector to be secrotary, pro tem, was elected.