EACH TO ITS BEACH

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1935, Page 9

EACH TO ITS BEACH

HOW CLUBS HAVE GROWN ENTHUSIASTIC AND VOLUNTARY. SOUTHERN PART OF PROVINCE. Concerning the individual clubs, East End is the senior in point of time. Although the records of the club do not show when it was formed, photographs show that the Tabor Shield was won in five of the first seven years of competition and again in 1924. The club lapsed in 1926 but in 1928 it was reformed and since that date, although sometimes with indifferent success, has competed in every Tabor Shield competition and practically every Taranaki competition. Of the executive committee formed in 1928, Messrs. R. Williams and A. C. Sims still remain in the senior team. Mr. W. Jarvis, who was in the winning Tabor Shield team in 1917, rejoined the club this season as club coach and the honour of oldest active member goes to Mr. N. Berge, who is club captain and a Nelson Shield judge this year. East End competed in the New Zealand championships at Wanganui in 1932. Unfortunately the support suffered cramp and the team had to withdraw when doing well. Old Boys’ history is bound' up with that of Taranaki generally, but it suffered lean years in common with 'East End. H. S. Weston, prominent in Taranaki swimming in the years to 1925, came back to New Plymouth from the Maranui club in 1931, and with M. Smale brought Old Boys to the position it now holds—best New Zealand team for two successive years. Fitzroy was formed in 1924, when the beach at that end of the town was not in general use. Mr. Arthur Saxby was the prime mover and Mr. W. J. Toomey the first member.* Under the aegis of Mr. W. N. Stephenson, an English swimmer of repute, the club has continued, having in its ranks such well-known figures as H. J. Thomas and C. H. Plumtree and the keenest of executive members, W. J. Moorhead. Fitzroy’s first shed was built of old motor cases and the club has never been well off. Although winner of the junior permant championship in 1926-27-28 and 1930 the club has not won the Tabor Shield, the , nearest being second to Opunake this year, when the Weston Cup 4-men championship was annexed. The Ballin Cup surf relay championship was secured in 1932 and 1933. The proposal for the formation of a

that did duty on Ohawe beach in the summer of 1932-33 was a group of members of the Hawera Swimming Club. The Ohawe Surf Club came into being at a public meeting at Hawera in October, 1933.

Last season was therefore its first, and throughout it was a thorn in the side of older and mdre experienced teams, winning honours wherever it appeared. The young team was noteworthy for its enthusiasm in practice. This season, though suffering the loss of five of the original team, only three members of which are now left, the club has performed well and in the Tabor Shield competition was actually the nearest to Opunake, though it did riot gain a place. But though the club has won honour in competitions it has a better record in actual life-saving. On the beach the members have been at call at all times and several lives have been saved. And it is in this, the practical side of lifesaving. that the club deserves more honour than for any of its other achievements.