THE DROWNING CASE AT NEW BRIGHTON.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14886, 28 January 1914, Page 10

THE DROWNING CASE AT NEW BRIGHTON.

■«. c VIEWS OF A LIFE-SAVING CLUB MEMBER. A prominent inernber of the New Brighton Life-saving and Surf-bathing Club was interviewed yesterday by a "Press" reporter, and several questions were asked him with a view to ventilating the whole of tho causes which raado it possible for a swimmer to be drowned in tho safety-bathing area in broad daylight and with swimmers close by, with many spectators on the beach, and with up-to-date facilities j for rescuo housed only a few yards away. TAMPERING WITH THE REELS. "There is only one reason," he said, "why we do not leave, tho life-saving reels' on the beach, and that is because the public tamper with them. We had that experience last year, when wo left the reels on the pier. On Sunday mornings, when, we came to givo a lifesaving exhibition, we would -find, before we had gone out half a chain, that the rope had been wantonly knotted round tho reel. People looking on laughed at us, and said, 'Where would the Surf Club have been if it was & real accident?' We wero then forced to lock the reels up. But. before wo took that stop, wo tried leaving the reel-house unlocked, and for several reasons that experiment had to bo abandoned. ANOTHER DIFFICULTY. '•But there is another side to tho question." the Surf Club man went on to say, A that should not be ignored. I have found, even when putting a noviceteam through life-saving drill, that if they were not watched tney would very quickly drown tho subject by hauling him in too fast. That was evident three or four Sundays ago, when the alarm bell was iung, and the public offered their kind assistance in bringing a man ashore, nearly drowning him in the process. In my opinion, to leave the reels on the beach, and to have theni worked by persons who are inexperienced would be to court disaster. The exhibitions on Sunday morning are given not only for tho benefit or the members of the club, but for the gene-. ral public also. If the latter care to take an interest in the work, and to watch carefully how the reel is manipulated, there is no reason why they should not assist on some other occasion, when the members of the club are away at work in the city. CARETAKER WANTED. "To my mind," he concluded, "the only really practical method of protecting bathers would be to have a permanent caretaker appointed to keep watch at the club look-out, and to superintend the use of the reels should an' accident occur. On Saturdays and Sundays we can patrol the beach, but a caretaker is certainly needed during the week. At present our funds do not permit of us carrying out this scheme, for there is a debt of £150 on tho pavilion, and 'free-of-del)t cards' are now in circulation. We are a young club, and the committee is at ail times willing to receive suggestions. Perhaps a wealthy surf-bather or a public-spirited citizen might see his way to come to light with the necessary funds to enable us to appoint a caretaker, and minimise the risk of accident to the thousands who visit New Brighton and bathe, in-the surf during tho summer months." TO THE EDITOR OS , "THB PRESS." Sir, —Monday's bathing fatality should bo taken to heart by the management of the Brighton Surf Bathing and Life-saving Club. In its wisdom tho management absolutely refuse members tho privilege of holding a key to the Club's pavilion, except as to" the management themselves. * The members of the Management Committee being mostly non-residents of Brighton are not on the beach excoDt Saturday afternoon and Sunday, and it. is only when any member of the committee is present that the ordinary member can get into the pavilion. Now, had members the general privilege of holding a key, I have it on excellent authority that three members (splendid swimmers) Vould have been bathing from tno pavilion at the time of the accident, and their services and the lifesaving appliances would have been available. As- it was, these members were surfing some distance down the beach, driven there by the action of the management in denying them the privilege to which, as members, they were fully entitled. Every member of the Club should have easy access to the premises at all times, and until such is the case the public must know that any person in difficulties has little j chance of being assisted at any time { -except Saturday afternoon or Sunday. —Yours, etc., W. READ. TO THE EDITOR OF "TUB PRESS." Sir, —Wβ have learnt some lessons" from drowning accidents in the past, but we havo still more to learn. May I submit the following points for the consideration of the powers that be:— (1) The erection of notices pointing out possibilities of danger from undertow and pot-holes, even, in the bathing area. . The existence of a "bathing area" tends to create in the minds of strangers a false sense of security. This was, perhaps, a factor in yesterday's sad fatality, (2) As soon sis financially practicable, the acquirement of the Pier by the municipality, and tho appointment of an expert surf man as caretaker, whose duties should include patrol work, particularly at times when our admirable volunteer force are of necessity absent. (3) Tho local police oflker should also be an expert waterman. His residence should bo on tho beach. This would also have a good effect on some of the "sand hogs," whose, conduct is damaging the reputation of the borough. A check on some, of, the fairer sex in the same direction would not come amiss. We cannot expect the local police officer to be always away from his home. This note must not be regarded as reflecting in any way on the efficiency of our present constable. (4) If ihe above was arranged, the surf reel and other safety appliances could always be kept handy, and not locked up in tho Surf Club* as at present. On off days the nresent procedure is to first find the "caretaker of the Pier, who has the key. Then proceed several hundred yards up the beach for the appliances. By the timo these are brought along, all concerned are "winded" and much valuable time lost. (o) An alteration in tho law providing for a magisterial enquiry without waiting for the recovery of the body. If the body is not recovered, no inquest is held. If recovered some time afterwards, it is quito a formal matter, as oftentimes witnesses have left the city, and the evidence of those who remain is not so reliable as if taken immediately after the occurrence. Magisterial enquiries are as much necessary to prevent repetition, if dossiMp, as to ascertain cause of death.—Yours, etc., NEW BRIGHTON RESIDENT. January 27th, 1914. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir, —In reference to the sad drowning accident at New Brighton yesterday, I think it is quite unreasonable to even suggest that the members of the Brighton Surf Club should be expected to patrol the beach every day in tHe'week. They all have their living to make, and they do more than their duty when they patrol the beach on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. >It seems to mc that the-proper way to deal with this question is to follow the example of Wellington. On the Lyall Bay beach a man is employed as a patrol officer every day in the week, his salary beins; paid by the Wellinjitoa City Council. Hβ is a member of the tiro surf bathing clubs, and works hand

in hand with those bodies. The samo provision should bo made at Brighton and Sumner. and it seems to mc that where human life i s at stake, if even the two patrol officers cost, say, £150 per annum each, the money would be well spent.—Yours, etc.. E. NORDON. January 27th.