VALUE OF SURF CLUBS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 54, 6 March 1939, Page 6

VALUE OF SURF CLUBS

LARGE CROWD ON BEACH INTEREST IN MIDGETS One of the largest crowds to take tn interest in surf rescue work and 'esuscitation assembled at Castlecliff Beach yesterday to see the West Coast ?hampionships. A sum of £72 9s id vas taken up on the beach. This is i record collection at such a gatherng. • “The work these boys do is volu<n.ary and they need and deserve all Lhe assistance the public can give .hem,” said Mr. P. F. A. Coira, Wellington. president of the New Zealand Surf Life-saving Association. “They io not take any particular pleasure in 'escuing people who are unfortunate enough to need assistance, but they lave the satisfaction of knowing that !hey have performed a useful public service. None of them wish to make capital out of the misfortunes of Dthers.” Referring to the work of the Castle?liff Surf Club, Mr. Coira praised the efforts that were being made to maintain its strength. “I think that its record of lives saved each year is greater than any club in New Zealand,” Mr. Coira said. (Applause.) “It is deserving of the support of everybody who uses the beach.” Naturally, the winning teams received great ovations, but if a popularity verdict was asked from the crowd on the beach yesterday the midget life-saving team would have received a unanimous vote. These boys, aged no more than eight years, jniformed in exactly the same way as Iho seniors of the Castlecliff Club Zlub and with standard bearer and beltman all doing duty like older hoys, participated in the march past. They carried their miniature reel with the confidence of a team much older. Mr. T. R. Luff, whose work as a physical instructor at Sling Camp, England, during the war, is well known to many New Zealanders, has the training of the boys in hand Their names are: Earl Stewart, W Massey, T. Mackie, Trevor and Noel Luff and Bryan Russ.