BATHERS AT NEW BRIGHTON GET INTO TROUBLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18639, 17 December 1928, Page 6

BATHERS AT NEW BRIGHTON GET INTO TROUBLE.

SMART RESCUES BY SURF CLUB MEMBERS. £ About 2.45 p.m. yesterday a girl got out of her depth in a big pothole by the oipe near the Surf Club pavilion at New Brighton. As she was unable to swim, she got into difficulties. Another young girl. Shona Campbell, was bathing thereand went to the first-girl’s help, holding her up until N. Smith. C. Bryant and other members of the New Brighton Surf Club brought out a line to bring the girls as-hore. After receiving attention from Surf Club officers in the pavilion, she was able to go to her home. Later a man got into the same hole. Being unable to get out. he called for help. M. Rattray. M. Meikle and L. Moorhouse went into the hole and helped the man ashore. About an hour afterwards a schoolboy was washed into the pothole. He could not swim and was in serious trouble. J. Meikle and O. Couldwell made a very creditable rescue. The boy was attended to in the pavilion and soon recovered from his experience. Mr C. Couldwell is the newly-appoint-ed patrolman for the New Brighton beach, but has not yet begun his duties, and was at New Brighton only for the dav. Mr F. S. Taylor, club captain of the Surf Club, speaking to a reporter, said that the sea had formed a very deep pothole immediately north of the pipe. Bathers did not know that the hole was there until they were into it, as the breakers kept coming over it, and it was shallower further out. The accidents proved the necessity for permanent patrolmen on the beach. Had they happened during the week, when the beaech was not patrolled by the Surf Club, two of them would have been fatal. The club had no money to pay for the services of those patrolmen, and it was hoped that sufficient funds would be collected to enable th'e beaches to be patrolled by permanent patrolmen for at least three months in each bathing season. PATROLMEN SELECTED. The Canterbury Surf and Life Saving Association has selected three patrolmen for the Christchurch beaches. They are; J. Breward—North Beach. F. Priest—Sumner. C. Couldwell —New Brighton. They will take up their duties on December 24. Their costumes will be black and white, similar to the costumes of the North Beach Club, with the word “Patrol" worked on back and front. Mr Breward. who is the possessor of the diploma of the Royal Life Saving Society, has had experience in surf teams and in coaching them. Arrangements have been made with his employers to release him for six weeks for patrol work. Mr Priest has already several singlehanded rescues to his credit at Sumner and at Taylor's Mistake. Mr Couldwell is a member of the North Bondi Surf and Life Saving Club, and has had experience of the patrol work on Sydney beaches.