LIFE-SAVING SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22956, 11 August 1936, Page 12

LIFE-SAVING SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING OF OTAGO BRANCH ; : The annual meeting of the Otago branch of the Royal Life Saving Society was held in the Dunedin Municipal Baths Club Room last night, Mr H. H. Henderson presiding over a fairly large attendance of members. ANNUAL REPORT The society's annual report stated that the society had maintained its position with the clubs. and schools amongst whom it worked. A small decrease in the actual number of awards issued was noted, and must be* accepted as an indication that the society was still in need of more -active honorary instructors. The annual competition for the girls' secondary schools was held at the end of the summer, and was won by the Otago Girls' High School, whose work the judges pronounced to be some of the best seen : in Otago. The boys' contest was not held last summer oh account of the change in the date of the competition. This event would in future be held in November during the secondary schools' annual athletic sports meeting. A life-saving competition for teams from companies of the Boys' Brigade was held for the first time this year, the prize being a shield donated by the society. The. first winners were the 18th Company (St. Peter's, Caversham) under the instruction of Mr A. Findlay. The Wellington (New Zealand) branch had been successful in. winning the William Henry Memorial Cup, this being the first time the trophy had come to New Zealand. A change in status had Deen made during the past year, and the society was now known as a branch instead of a head centre. A change had also been made in the design of the society's certificates, and these were now much smaller than the old ones, and were printed in New Zealand. The district representatives continued to carry on the society's work in their various districts, and particular commendation was due to Mr A. Kingsland, of Invircargill, who had so ably succeeded Mr E. R. Fitzsimmons, who removed to Australia, and to Mr M. K. M'Culloch, of Oamaru: The institution of two new awards, the sea water diploma and the resuscitation certificate, would fill a want which had often been discussed. The sea water diploma would not supersede the society's diploma examination, but the tests of the new award had been devised to include such extra requirements as would make it commensurate in difficulty with the diploma of the society, despite the advantage of sea water. There was no honours division in this test. The resuscitation certificate had been specially devised for those unable to do a test of life saving in the water, and the granting of this award was subject to confirmation by the Central Executive. In conclusion, the committee wished to exDress appreciation to the many workers assisting in keeping the society's work before the public. The adoption of the report was moved by the chairman, who said that although the number of awards which had passed through the society s hands had not been quite, up to the average the figures were fairly good, and he attributed the slight' falling- off to the weather conditions and also _ to the fact that the swimming championships had taken a good deal of interest away from the society's activities. The society was doing excellent work, the competition for the girls' secondary schools in the city having been productive of a high standard of life saying, especially in the land team drill. The competition for the shield for Boys' Brigades had not attracted as large an entry as had been expected, but it was hoped that in future years all the brigades would enter for the. competition. When the shield had been presented to the winning team the aims of the society had been outlined, and it was hoped that this would bear fruit. Although the number of awards presented during the year did not compare with some of the other societies' records, it was to be remembered that if 200 awards were issued each year in a few years the aggregate would be considerable. The benefits attendant on the work of the society were to be found wherever lives, were endangered on beaches or rivers, and no one would dispute the value of even elementary instruction in life saving. The society commenced the year with a credit balance of £66 Is Bd, its revenue during the year was.

£49 9s Id, and the expenditure amounted to £49 4s lid, leaving a credit balance at the end of the period of £66 5s lOd. The. society was quite financial, and although the figures were not quite Up to the average. they had reason to be 'satisfied .'with .the.position. The society now looked f6r all the help it could get from the various swimming clubs. The adoption of the report was seconded by Mr J. Pereira and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year:—Patron, Mr F. Jones, MP:; president, Mr H. H. Henderson; vice-presidents, the Rev. E. T. Cox, Messrs D. C. Bannatyne, A. Findlay, E. H. James, J. Pereira, P. N. Rundle, W. Fleming, J. L. M'lrtdoe, W. A. Jenkins, H. D. Gillies, W. H. Matthews, P. Boulton, K. Evans, E. C. Isaacs, A. J. Kingsland, M. J. Rodgerson, Lorigbottom and A. S. Macdonald; honorary treasurer, Mr H. H. Henderson; honorary secretary, Mr P. A. Mathieson; honorary assistant secretary, Miss M. B. Mathieson; committee —Misses M. Collett, M. Gibson, Messrs A. Thomas, S. Brown, W. Wood and Bro. Ryan; district Messrs J. Russell (Alexandra), T. Evans (Balclutha), A. J. .Parsons (Gore), A. J. Kingsland (Invercargill), James Curie (Kurow), M.. Walker (Milton), M. L. Bohm (Naseby), M. K. M'Culloch and G. Jones (Oamaru), G. Chapman-Cohen (Owaka); delegate to the New Zealand Council of the Rwal Life Saving Society. Mr F. J. Glackin; delegates to the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Messrs A. Findlay and D. C. Bannatyne; delegates to the Otago branch of the New Zealand Surf Association, Messrs A. Findlay and T). C. Bannatyne; honorary medical officers, Drs Clark Hanan, Stuart Moore, W. Evans and W. E. Carswell; honorary solicitor, Mr I. Turnbull; honorary auditor, Mr N. Sutherland; honorary examiners—Misses N. Fleming, A. Jones, M. Boulton, M. B. Mathieson, M. Collett, M. Gibson, Messrs E. H. James, K. Evans. H. H. Henderson, A. Findlay, W. A. Jenkins..M. Taylor. P. A. Mathieson, H. D. Gillies, W.> S. Hindmarsh. G. Frye. A. Thomas. G. Chap-man-Cohen, J. E. Salisbury. D. C. Bannatyne, C. Lewis, R. Geddes, E. C. Isaacs, M. K. M'Culloch, P. E. Mathieson, E. Lewis and M. J. Rodgerson.