LIFE SAVING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22498, 16 February 1935, Page 9

LIFE SAVING

PROGRESS OF MOVEMENT ADDRESS BY MR J. C. FISHENDEN. Members of the local life-saving organisations and- others interested in lifesaving were given an opportunity' of meeting Mr J. 0. Fishenden, a vicepresident of the Royal Life-Saving Society, who is at present on a visit tec 1 Dunedin, at a gathering held 'last evening under the auspices of the Otago, Head Centre of the society, Mr H. H. Henderson, president of ’ the centre, presided. . .

den, Mr Henderson said that with, an association with the Royal. Life-Saving Society '.extending over 40 years, their guest was steeped in the knowledge of the work* and full of interest in it, and "-the; Otago Centre thanked I.him sincerely for coming all the way from. England to give its members the benefit of that knowledge. ’ It was only by; personal contacts of the nature made possible by Mr Fishonden’s'Visit that'the life-saving organisations; jtt Zealand* could keep . in touch;-with headquarters' in London. The society was. performing a useful service to the community; .and when memices of the centres in other parts of /the world realised ‘ how : the movement was spreading they must feel honoured and privileged to take part in such- a noble work. Mr Henderson also , welcomed MrG.E. Billson, president of the New Zealand; .Council, of the Royal LifeSaving. and said that whilst visits'- frqin officials of the Council were coirtpaVfltivcly -rare; they were hone tire nesp. welwmp when they did eventuate. / 3 / v Mr Billson' spoke of the wisdom of the central ; executive in sending Mr Fishenden to New Zealand. After tracing the history/of the life-saving movement in New Zealand, he paid a tribute to those who had given such service in carrying on a great humanitarian work. While the/,'council was diffident about interfering- with the work of the various centres, it. was nevertheless hoped ithat j /easing ■ the .position arisen.tllrongh New -“Zealand having ho fewer than nine aUi .fhorities which; '; by virtue of, their constitution; had. the right to issue . awards. It .'seenied that a country with only 1,500,000 inhabitants should have nine issuing, authorities, and lie hoped ■ that the matter would be adjusted. - -Mr ‘ Fishenden said ,be had come to New Zealand to extend a welcome from •the Royal Life-Saving Society, but. the .welcome Jie had received seemed to have reversed, the position. His aim was to find hut at first- hand the work which : was being done in New Zealand and to take back, to London with liim any new. ideas. He was not in New Zealand to offer criticism or" offer opinions. Speaking personally, he did not care .what;.otherassociations were doing; his desire was to see the work of the society kept‘at the highest possible standard of efficiency. 1 ■ : > ■ Mr Fishenden went on to describe the society’s-handbook and the recognition given by other organisations to systems adopted and modified by the society. He touched on the' difficulties under which life saving work in England had laboured, and remarked that it had been confined, mainly to rivers, ponds and baths;, with the result that work at the;seaside had been neglected. A few years ago the Life Guards Corps had been inaugurated, but some ,far more efficient, and definite organisation was required before life saving could be said to-be on, any thing like a proper footing on the beaches of England. “I have, seen the work of many of your said. Mr Fishenden, “ and I can. say that their standard is in every Tespect; equal to, if not better than, our-lOwny.Tou have bigger boys and girl'd, and their work shows that their teachers know their job too. Moreover, you have in New Zealand the advantage .qf.conditions such as we in the Old Country: do not even hear of.” The speaker devoted some time tp the problem of coaching and training of teems for inters national competition, and expressed, conbiderablg .concern that the public ■ generally appeared apathetic so far as .giving 1 any assistance, to, the; life .saying movement was concerned. He concluded ; by narrating a number of amusing anecdotes of his experiences in 17 countries he had-, visited, particularly of complaints lie had received regarding alleged deficiencies . in -the handbook.

v' Mr r W../ A. Jenkins, president of. the .Otago Swimming Centre, and Mr E. H, James, a foundation member of the Otago Head Centre and one of the first* candidates in New Zealand to receive a societyV award, also , spoke briefly and thanked Mr Fishenden for his address. , A vote of thanks to the speaker brought the meeting to a close. 1 |