TESTIMONIAL TO MR JOHN BENNETT FOE SAVING LIFE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2175, 23 December 1875, Page 3

TESTIMONIAL TO MR JOHN BENNETT FOE SAVING LIFE.

Mr John Bennettitlfe; lessee of the Victoria!^heatVe, 1 w,a^^^ on JTu.Qsdaj presented by the Hon Lajiy Rbbiiisoh with a testimonial ancPthe! bronze medal .of the 1 ißbyil^Huma^d'Society, in recognition pf his gallant, conduct in saying persons from drowning lon different occasions in'-the harbour of Port* Jackson,and else■where. The presentation was made on board ,the f steamiKip.iW'liampoa, > flagship, of t¥e Regatta*. •' Lady Ilobinjson/attended by .Captain and' Mrs; St - John and Miss Kqbinspnyia.r;rived;; on;,boaxd;the flagship about half-past threeTb'clock in the afternoon, with the special object of presenting the testimonial to Mr Bennett. Her ladythe "gangway by "Captain. }B?oomfield,!..SiryiWilliam; Manning, jMr? i James o Watson,.»M.L.S., and members of -the: regatta committee, and escorted^td ithepoopf where appros>ridte5 >ridte arrangements had been:-made or the accommodation of the''-'party. In .the name,. of ;the , committee,

Captain Broomfield; ?.,requested Lady Eobinson to make the'; presentation _„to Mr Bennett, and. Mr, JphnEaearead the following:—" John Bennett, Esq. Sir, — For several years past your name has been from time to time brought prominently forward before the public as instrumental in saving life. Thrice within the past year have you distinguished yourself in rescuing persons from being drowned in Sydney Harbour, thereby increasing the number of lives saved by your ■ individual exertion to 5 seventeen. 'While on every occasion you have freely imperilled your life, your heroic rescue of Alexander Reedie, when in danger of being drowned iri Darling Harbour, on the night of the 20th July, j I{#4, has called for special recognition; A number of your fellow colonists, anxious to mark their appreciation ;< of ■} your gallant conduct 'request yotLr acceptance on behalf of Mrs Bennett and your family, of this testimonial, trusting that you may be spared to them, and that the example you have shown may prove an incentive to others when opportunity offers to aid in, saving the; lives of their fellow-creatures. (We remain, &c." Here follow over 1000 signatures. The Hon. Lady Robinson, in making the presentation, addressed Mr Bennett as follows :—•" Mr Bennett: At the desire of his Excellency the Governor, who is absent from Sydney, I have much pleasure in presenting you with a bronze medal, which the Royal Humane Society of England has awarded to you for your courage in saving the life of a man who had fallen overboard, near Sydney on the 20th July last year. I have been requested, also, to take this public .opportunity of handing to you the proceeds of a subscription which has been collected for you by your fellow-citizens in this colony, as a mark of their appreciation of the heroic manner in which you have so often risked your own life to save the lives of others. I understand, at different times and in various of the globe > you ; have, .by your presence of mind and .' : strength.* and experfcness as a swimmer, rescued no less than eighteen of your fellow creatures from .drowning, and that these, services to humanity have been rendered in so disinterested, and 'unostentatious,..a spirit, that you have ryouraelf' kept" no account of the particulars-or even the names of the persons saved in the greater riuinber of instances. To a mind constituted as yours, the feeling that you have been so largely instrumental in saving human life must always be your chief reward; but at the same time!am sure also you will like to know your bravery nas been recognised by the Royal Humane Society of England, and acknowledged in so gratifying a mariner by your fellow countrymen." (Cheers.) Mr Bennett,/ who was loudly cheered, said in reply that he. thanked her Ladyship for the honor'she had conferred upon him in presenting him with the medal and testimonial, and for the kind remarks which: had accompanied the present. That was not the first time he had received a testimonial for saving life, but that little piece of copper sent to him from the old country was of priceless value. He looked upon it as the highest arid best prize of John Bull to his children.: (Cheers.) And heshould be proud :to hand it down as an heirloom to his children.. Presence of mind was, he said of the utmost necessity in attempting to rescue a person from drowning. He himself had always adopted that plan of thinking before he plunged into the water, and he advised all similarly situated'to follow the same course.' On behalf of his wife and .children he thanked her ladyship again, and the committee who had worked so hard, and all the subscribers to that handsome testimonial. (Cheers.)—T. and C. Journal.