LIFE-SAVING WORK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22400, 23 October 1934, Page 10

LIFE-SAVING WORK

EMPIRE-WIDE MOVEMENT ITS DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS A fair attendance of life saving enthusiasts and swimmers gathered in the Y.M.C.A. rooms last evening and listened with keen interest to an address delivered by Mr H. H. Lock, chairman of the London Central Executive of the Roval Life Saving Society. On behalf of the Otago Head Centre of the society, the president (Mr H. H. Henderson) extended a welcome to Mr Lock and said that it was nearly a quarter of a century ago since Mr W. Henry visited Dunedin and established the local branch. Since then Otago had not had a visitor from headquarters, and Mr Lock’s visit was therefore of especial value, as it formed a personal contact between the Central Executive and the outlying branches of the society. “The object of my journey,” said Mr Lock, “is to find out as much as possible about the organisation and work of the surf and life saving clubs in New Zealand and elsewhere, and so carry back to London my impressions of the conditions under which life saving work is carried on.”

Mr Lock went on to say that there was an immensity of evidence that swimming was practised long before the dawn of history, and that in the very early days men used the art of swimming as a method of progress from place to place. Fifty years ago it occurred to people that if swimmers could be educated to use their skill in the water to assist others in difficulty in the water, considerable loss of life by drowning could be prevented. The home of life saving was actually in Glasgow, where half a century ago William Wilson established a primitive system of land and water drill. The Amateur Swimming Association was approached with the idea of forming a life saving branch, but it turned* the suggestion down. A few enthusiasts, however, were not satisfied, and, convened by Mr William Henry, a meeting was held in a little back room in London. Those present at this meeting little realised that they had started a movement that was to spread not only to every quarter of the British Empire, but to every civilised nation under the sun. Progress was slow at first, but it was not long before people in the colonies were attracted by the idea, and now branches of the Royal Life Saving Society were in practically every part of the Empire, and its handbook had been translated into many languages. Generally speaking, continued Mr Lock, life-saving, since the war, had made tremendous strides, in the Old Country, and in the past few years England and Scotland had issued in the neighbourhood of 50,000 annually. The president of the Scottish branch (Colonel Robert Kyle) was stalwart in the movement, and much of its progress in North Britain was due to him. To life-savers in New Zealand, ColoneTKyle had sent the following message: — “ As president of the Scottish branch I would like you to convey our felicitations to the many ‘ Brither Scots ’ who arc maintaining the prestige of Aid Scotland in distant New Zealand. Although their new homes are far away from the land of their origin, I think the sentiment expressed in the following wellknown lines interprets their feelings:— From the lone sheiling in the misty island Mountains divide us, and the waste of seas, Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland, And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

“ Our kinsmen will be interested, I am sure, in what is going on in the Old Country, and you will be able to tell them that, like ‘Johnnie Walker,’ we are ‘ Still going strong.’ Our total awards since the establishment of the branch under the Royal Charter are:—1020, 158(3; 1927, 2093; 1928, 2634; 1929, 2646; 1930, 3027; 1931, 3690; 1932, 4209; 1933, 4579; which shows consistent and steady progress. The current year will create another record as, at the end of July, with.five months to run, the awards equalled the total of last year. There are now 32 cities and towns where life-saving is being taught in first-class public baths, and recently open air pools have been opened at Helensburgh, St. Andrews, Troon, Dunbar, Prestwick, aud Arbroath. In Glasgow any person gaining the elementary certificate gets free use of the corporation baths for 12 months. Also, the recruits for the police are required to take the bronze medallion. “I should like to say,” remarked Mr Lock in conclusion, “that we in the Old Country are keenly interested in the work and progress of the life-saving clubs in New Zealand. I ask those who are doing the work to remember that they arc taking part in an Empire-wide movement. Moreover, I thank them for the service they arc giving the society. During my journey through New Zealand I have witnessed demonstrations of swimming, lifesaving, and diploma work, and, speaking from wide experience in every part of the world, I can say that the standard in New Zealand is the very highest possible. The progress of life-saving in New Zealand in 25 years has been extraordinary, and I prophesy that in 50 or 100 years’ time, the humanitarian aims of the society will be as sufficient to kindle the spirit of endeavour as they are to-day.” The president of the Otago Swimming Centre (Mr W. A. Jenkins) and Mr E. L. Macassey (president of the Otago Surf Association) welcomed Mr Lock on behalf of their respective organisation, and, at the conclusion of their remarks, a round-table discussion on the various branches of life-saving was held. _ - Yesterday afternoon Mr Lock witnessed a demonstration by the St. Clair Life-spying Club, and briefly addressed members. This morning he will visit the Technical High School and the Boys’ and Girls’ High "Schools, and will leave for Wellington by the through express.