AWARDS FOR BRAVERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1923, Page 8

AWARDS FOR BRAVERY.

SAVED FROM DROWNING. APPLICATIONS BEFORE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY. Christchurch, Dec. 27. At a meeting of the court of directors of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand application was made by Mr. J. V. Dyke, of Lower Hutt, for an award to be granted to William Jack Robson, who, on January 9, 1921, rescued Misses Edna and Nita Long and George A. J. Wilson from drowning. It was decided to hold the matter over for two or three weeks so that it could be investigated in Wellington. A DESERVING CASE. Application was received frpm the Royal Life Saving Society, Auckland, for an award for A. J. Morns, of Mt. Eden, Auckland, who rescued A. Bergin from drowning in the Hauraki Gulf, on December 23, 1922. Bergin fell overboard from the steamer Kawau three hours out from Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. Morris jumped into the sea, fully dressed, and brought him to the steamer. The sea was choppy and was shark infested. Bergin | had sunk for the third .time. and. was insensible, and Morris had to dive for him. Morris had, a week previously, got up from an operation and was going away for a holiday for health reasons. It was stated that this was the eighth life Morris had saved. UNABLE TO SWIM. May Dunham applied for an award for Mrs. Beatrice May Cronin, who attempted to - rescue a child named William John Dunham, from drowning in the Hautapu river, Haititahi, on. November 1, 1923. Mrs. Cronin, who was unable to swim, entered the river at a spot where it was too deep to wade, and by holding on to a flax bush managed to reach the body of the child and lifted it from the water. Life was extinct however, when the body was brought ashore. t It was decided to award Mrs. Cronin the Society’s certificate. DEEDS OF HEROISM. , It was decided to award the Society’s gold medal for life saving to Silston Cory Wright, engineer of Auckland who, on March 31, 1923, rescued William George Walsh from drowning at Tairua. The details of the case are as follow. Two motor launches were entering Tairua river (100 miles s.e. from Auckland on the East Coast) at night on the ebb tide. The Ellida was leading on, in which were Cyril and Harold Cory Wright and two other men (one of whom was drowned, by being washed overboard by an overtaking roller). She was followed by the Lorraine with Silston Cory Wright, William George Walsh, Thomas Jenkins and four other men, the last four all losing their lives, the Lorraine being broached to, and overturned on the bar by "succeeding rollers. Walsh was found after half an hour, and was enabled to remain afloat by the exertions, in the water, of Silston Cory Wright, after which Jenkins, Walsh and Silston Cory Wright were picked up by Cyril and Harold Cory Wright In the Ellida. The two last named having lost their dinghy, when a member of their crew was washed I overboard and drowned, swam ashore and climbed a cliff in order to locate the Lorraine or her crew. Hearing shouts they swam off to the Ellida and getting the water out of her crossed the bar outward at considerable risk. It was decided to award bronze medals th Cyril and Harold Cory Wright, who rescued Walsh and Jenkins. LETTERS OF COMMENDATION. The court decided to send letters of commendation to Martin Negri, who in a small boat, rescued a woman and two men who got into difficulties while bathing on the Greymouth beatch, on February 8, 1923, and to Anthony Henry Cawley, of Greymouth, who attempted to save a woman from drowning on the Greymouth beach at the same tim** and place.