PRESENTATION OF ROYAL HUMAINE SOCIETY'S MEDALS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12865, 25 May 1905, Page 7

PRESENTATION OF ROYAL HU MAINE SOCIETY'S MEDALS.

A very pleasing function took place at tho Taranaki Rifles ball on Wednesday evening, when medals of the Royal Humane Society, of Australasia were presented ,to Firemen • Bennett and White for saving the life of Mr G. Ha-ddrell. The Mayor, in asking Sir Joseph Ward to present the medals, referred to the action of the recipients. On the morning of 23rd March, 1904, young H'adidrell was bathing in the surf and was carried out by the .under tow, and Bennett, who was passing at the time, jumped off his, engine, and "took out & life line, but this parting, White then fallowed, and between them, they got Hadidrell to shore. The escape was a narrow one, and it was Bennett's plucky action, and Wihite's presence of mind that averted a fatality. Sir Joseph Ward said the duty of presenting! the medals and scrolls of honour was a particularly pleasant one. Bennett did a brave "act, and in such cases recognition ( was made by the proper authority. As Minister of Railways he congratulated him very heartily on having done a noble deed, an|d he had very great ipleasure in asking him to accept the scroll, j settings Qiit the particulars of the res■cue. The Mayoress, Mrs Cock, then pinned on the Society's bronze medal. In presenting Mr White with the Society's scroll arid medal, Sir Joseph said that Mr White was also a member of the railway service I wjhich was composed of a fine body of men. White at nineteen years of age had carried out an act of brafvery for which he was very much to be commended-. The Mayoress then pinned on the bonze medal, and hearty I cheers .' were called by Sir Joseph' Ward for tho recipients. Sir Joseph then said that there was another young man, who had passed away, who >would have received a siim-' ilar honour on this oe'esion, T-Ir Fred .Holdsworth, who had performed a conspicuous aol of bravery. However, his medal would be handed to his parents, by whom it would be highly treasured. He deeply regretted that he 'had not the opportunity of making a similar' presentation. It will bo remembered that shortly after the rescue of young H'aldklrell, a' presentation of gold penidaAits was m*atle to Messrs Bennett ankl iWihita bjj the Mayor on behalf of Sergx?a!rut Haddrell, father of the boy, as a ro ; cognition of their plucky actioji.