SURF LINE CUT

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20284, 19 April 1934, Page 9

SURF LINE CUT

NEW BRIGHTON MAN IN! COURT. “ Might Have Caused Death.’’ S.M. COMMENTS ON SERIOUS OFFENCE. “ I cannot understand the mentality of a man who would do an act of this sort that might easily cause the death of several persons,” said Mr E. D. Mosley this morning, when convicting T. Egan, a married relief worker, 25 years of age, of New Brighton, on a charge laid by the North Beach Surf Life-Saving Club that on or about September 1, 1933, he wilfully damaged a surf line, valued at £2 10s, the property of the club. The accused pleaded guilty. A surf line of the club 400 yards long had been so cut that it was now only 335 yards long, it was stated, and while the theft was undiscovered it had constituted a definite menace to life. In a recent fatality cn the beach, A. T. Dalton had taken that line out through the surf and saved several lives. Had they been 25 yards further out he could not have saved them as the line would have run out. “ Such a crime, to satisfy the desire of a minute, shows a most extraordinary mentality,” said Mr Mosley. “It can be traced only to selfishness and thoughtlessness. Disgrace to Community. “ These life-saving clubs should have the help of all sections of the community. I have the greatest admiration for these young men, who are ever ready to put their hands into their pockets and to give generously of their leisure time in protecting the lives of the public. It is a disgrace to the community that there are a few people who would, by acts of vandalism of this type, cause them financial loss and endanger life.” Mr Mosley said that he would have imposed the maximum penalty had it not been that counsel for the complainant had asked for lenient treatment. It was the first offence of its kind that had been before the Court, and he hoped it would be made widely known that any further conviction of the kind would be met by the maximum penalty. He ordered Egan to come up for sentence if called on within twelve months, a condition being that he repay the sum of 30s to the Probation Officer at the rate of Is 6d a week. “ You can consider yourself lucky,” he said. When There Was Danger. Mr Spiller, who laid the charge on behalf of the North Beach Surf Club, said that towards the end of last year it was found that a quantity of rope had been stolen from one of the club’s reels (the older reel) and at the time it was found impossible to locate the culprit. However, a few weeks ago the taking of the rope was traced to the accused, who frankly admitted the offence. About 100 yards had been taken off the reel. This was a serious matter, as it eliminated the extra length alwaj's left on the reel as a safety margin. “ I give one example to show the danger caused by the accused’s actions,” said Mr Spiller. “Your Worship will no doubt recall that a few months back the club captain (Mr Dalton) rescued four persons in one evening, and a fifth was drowned. It so happened that in the excitement of t 1 . moment the reel was rushed up the beach by members who did not know of the shortage, and they took this particular reel. When Mr Dalton was out in the surf there was only twenty-five yards of rope left on the drum of the reel, and had this been used it was about a quarter of a mile back to the pavilion to get the other reel. It was lucky for all concerned that that twenty-five yards was not needed. Further, there are about four Sundays during the season when the senior team goes to other beaches for competitions, and’takes the new reel with them, leaving the reel in question as the only one on the beach. Brought as Warning. “ This prosecution has been brought to serve as a warning to the public that the club will not submit passively to acts of this nature. The Surf Club members give their time voluntarily every week-end and during the week in the service of the public. Moreover, they provide their own finance for pavilions, equipment, etc., and there is a continual struggle to raise sufficient money to keep the club going. In the past surf clubs have suffered fairly heavily from thoughtless vandals, and it is not fair for them to have their assets wasted in this manner. A theft of rope from a surf club is a particularly mean one. The clubs are at the mercy of vandals as their equipment must always be left unlocked in case of a Sudde:. emergency.’* Surf lines, said Mr Spiller. had to be imported from Australia, and cost £2 10s each without duty. On this occasion after the rope had been taken off the reel the belt had been spliced on again in an endeavour to hide the theft. Though the club regarded the theft as a serious one it did not ask for a heavy penalty, as accused was a relief worker. It was time, however, that the thoughtless section of the public was taught a lesson.