LIFE SAVERS COMPETE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1931, Page 9

LIFE SAVERS COMPETE

FIRST COMPETITION OF YEAR GREY SHIELD AT EAST END. GOOD STANDARD OF WORK SHOWN. The first life-saving competition of the year iu North Taranaki took place at East End beach, New Plymouth, yesterday amid small but persistent breakers that provided a good test for the contestants. The Grey Shield was the trophy at stake, and was competed for by four eight-man teams from the East End club, to which the shield belongs. The water work was robbed of some of its interest by the impossibility of securing the times of the supports and beltmen owing to the breaking loose of the marking buoy after the first team had done its Work. The rough weather had created a set to the west which swept the patients and their attendants' towards the rocks. The linesmen also had some trouble with seaweed, blit apart from that there was little to hamper the teams,

A feature of the afternoon was the good showing of the team of girl members, who held their own with the other teams in most departments. The display commenced with a marchpast by club members, three teams advancing with reels from the west end of the beach and wheeling into line after marching in parade-ground style for 100 yards. As the competition this year for ths shield coritained only water-work, a land demonstration Of the methods of rescue and release was given by a team captained by S. Hogarth and consisting of N. Gardiner, R. Gardiner, C. Smith, G. South, L. Kerr and N. Forbes-Faulkner. Owing to the state of the tide the resuscitation work was taken, first, N. Forbes-Faulkner securing 26 of a possible of 30 for A. Henderson’s team. The margin of two points over Hogarth’s team was due mainly to a good dismissal. • The work of the girls’ team was equal in all respects to that of the other teams, except for a little Slowness. INSUFFICIENCY OF SIGNALS. Commenting later on the display, the judges said Sims’ team lost points through the support’s failure to signal to the linesmen; not enough care had been shown taking over the patient. Hogarth’s team had also suffered' owing to an insufficiency of signals, but the beltman had been responsible for good waterwork. Good all-round work characterised the display of Henderson’s team. The beltman was very good and the care: shown with the patient first-class. The ladies were to be congratulated on steady work throughout. They had shown a slight superiority in line-work. Mr. G. W. Palmer, president of the Taranaki centre of the Royal LifeSaving Society, in announcing the results said he had been agreeably surprised at the standard of work and he congratulated the members of the East End club on the effort they had made to become,efficient. He was sure no one would feel at aIL doubtful about the safety of East End as a bathing resort if they had seen that afternoon’s display. ' . •' , The officials were: Judges, Messrs. F. J. Eggleton (resuscitation and promotion of warmth), C. Brown and R. G. Howell (water-work etc); timekeeper, Mr. F. Clarke; beach-marshal, Mr. W. Ainsworth; secretary, Mr. !A. 0. Sims. The points gained by the teams are given below, members of each, team being named in the order of support, beltman, second linesman, yeelman, first linesman, third linesman-resuscitator and patient: > A. Henderson’s team (V. Walshe, L. Kerr, G. Roberts, R. Shoemark, C. Maclean, N. Forbes : Faulkner, L. ' Remington): general proficiency and smartness 21} (possible,2s), general dispatch following signal 4i (5), care of line 16} (20),-take-over/and. general < care of patient 18J (20), resus- y citation 18 C2O), promotion off warmth 8 (10)‘; total 87 (100) 1 £ Hogarth’s teani (N. Gardiner, R. William?, B. Carter, A. Allan, N. J. Gardiner, R. Gardiner, J. Steptoe): 21, 4}, 15, 17, 17, 7; total 81} 2* Ladies’ team captained by W. Ains/worth (Misses B. Pepperell,'- B. ‘. Coleman, K. Clarke, J. Hendersoh, M. Hall, . B. Hender- ■ ' Son, W. Mangham): 20, 3}, 16, 16, ,15, 6; total 76} .. 3 A." C. Sims’’ team (P. Perreau, C. Smith, T. Hutchen, P. Macleau, M. Kerr, G. South, F. Ainsworth): 21, 4,13 f, 12}, 16, 6J; total 73} .. 4