BRAVERY RECOGNISED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 53

BRAVERY RECOGNISED.

MULLANY'S MEMORY HONOURED

The Royal Humane Society of. Australasia, of which Dr Coughtrey is agent here, has placed on record the following minute: — "William Ernest Mullany, of Port Chalmers, New Zealand, aged 14 years, lest his life in attempting to rescue his schoolfellow, Thomas Curran., from drowning on February 12. 1907, at Waihoia Lake, New Zealand. The two boys and others were bathing and playing with a small punt full of water, the punt turned over, and they were thrown out. Curran could only just 6wim, and was in difficulties. Mullany went to .his assistance, and put his arm round Curran>the latter struggled, and they went under. Mullany got free for a moment, but took him again and tried to drag him to a boat near by. Curran caught Mullany again, and both disappeared, and were drowned. Mullany could easily have got ashore himself, but lost his life in trying to save his companion." At the publio meeting in Melbourne, when speaking of those who lost their lives in endeavouring to save others, the Venerable Archdeacon Crossley said: "Referring to Mullany and another, they are two* who lost their lives in saving those of others. They are not here to answer to their names, but we can answer for, their deeds and recall in grateful memory the acts which led- to their death— -death jEor the sake of others. There is death in war, and war, with all its patriotism, may become a passion. There is a nobility in the death of such *herces.'-' When speaking of the act of Mullany in endeavo^ring*"to save Curran, the president of the' Royal Humane Society of Australasia referred in feeling terms to the actions of two young lads losing their lives for others. One was William Thomas Fielding, of Queensland, aged 18 years, and the other was William Ernest Mullany, of Port Chalmers, Dunedin, and he wound up by saying that such deeds as those of Lawrence ITrost, who rescued lives in connection with the collision between £he steamer Kapanui and the ■ Claymore in Auckland Harbour on December 23, 1905, in the north of New Zealand, and Mullany, in the south ends of that colony, were worthy of wider recognition than the intrinsic value of the medals and certificates the society was obliged to accord such acts of gallantry. At the same public function His Excellency the Governor, referring to Fielding's and Mullany's acts, said O£ the latter that while ho could have saved himself he chose " rather to die than abandon the lad whom he was trying to save." His " memory deserved to be covered with honour for all time. We regret to note, notwithstanding Dr Goughtrey's appeal in our columns some months' .ago, that the only schools in the Dominion who took advantage of the special offers of the Royal Humane Society 'of Australasia to promote swimming exercises •with a view to saving life were the Christ-, church Boys' High School, the Kaiapoi District High School, the Wanganui College,' and the Wellington College.