FOR BRAVERY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20234, 12 May 1931, Page 9

FOR BRAVERY.

HUMANE SOCIETY'S AWARDS. RESCUES FROM DROWNING. The following awards for bravery were made at the meeting yesterday of the Court of Directors of the Royal Humane 'Society of New Zealand:— Bronze Medals. Bronze medal each to Peter Scott Isbister, Arthur Pottinger, and Lawrence Johnson, of Island Bay, Wellington, who rescued Arthur Hodgman p.nd attempted to rescue Joe Habberley, Magnus Hunter, and James Perano irom drowning, at Island Bay, on September 30th, 1930. A fishing launch, Crescent, mannea by lour men, was returning to Island Bay when a heavy gale set in and the engine broke doAvn. The launch drifted for six hours towards the Ohiro Rocks, which is stated tq be one of the roughest and most rugged parts of the coast, about two miles off Island Bay. The crew managed to attract tho attention of the fishermen at Island Bay, and 14 of them set out on the work of rescue, but before the launch could be reached she was swept against tho rocks and shattered. Hodgman was washed upon a rock some distance iiom the shore. Isbister, Pottinger, and Johnson jumped into the heavy sea amongst jagged rocks, at great r:sk, and worked their way out to the drowning man clinging to the outer rock, Isbister being in the lead. He reached the man and held him there •until Pottinger and Johnson also reached him, and then with the aid of other helpers, the three men brought Hodgman back to safety. The other men of the crew of the Crescent were drowned. Bronze modal to Margaret Olive Swabey, aged 27, of Hamilton, who rescued ■ a mental patient, aged 29, from drowning at the Waikato river on October sth, 1930. Nurse Swabey, fully clothed, in semidarkness, jumped down a steep bank about 20ft high into the Waikato river in pursuit of an escaped mental patient, Tho bank at this point is unsaleable. the river runs swiftly, anc} the water is frqm 15 to 20 feet deep. Nurse Swabey seized the demented woman, who is strongly built, pulled her into the bank where she could hold on to the branch of a tree with one arm at the same tiine supporting Mc-Kenzie until help arrived twenty minutes later. Certificates. A certificate to Mervyn Leake, aged 23, of Wellington, who rescued Charles Joseph Thomas, aged 23, of Wellington, from drowning, at Evans Bay, Wellington, on December 26th, 1030. _ A boat containing four people capsized in Evan's Bay, Wellington, half way to Ward Island, in a high wind and rough sea. Leake, who was some distance away on the yacht Clutha, which was apparently moored, went +o their assistance in an Bft dinghy. He rescued two girls and then saw a hand in the wntor, which belonged to Thomas. Ho got Thomas, who was unconscious, aboard the dinghy, and started to row to the beach. This was a difficult task, because the dinghy was shipping water with its overload and just got thero in time. Tho three rescued people were taken ashore and resuscitativo measures were adopted in tho case of Thomas. Leake in the meantime had emptied the water out of his dinghy, started out again, and brought in the fourth person, who was still clinging to tho upturned boat.

AWARDS.

Rescuer Drowned. In meinoriaiu certificate to the next-of-kin of Sydney Albert Longuet, aged 5.3, of Wellington, who lost bis life attempting to rescue Theresa Burton, aged 1(1, of Qfalri, from drowning, at Otaki Beach, on January 22nd, 1931; also a letter from the Court congratulating Clifford Delfoy Andrew George on his action. Mr Longuot and Mr Georgo had just entered tho water when a Maori girl, Miss Burton, found herself in difficulties in tho heavy surf and strong undertow. She called for help and the two men swain to her each taking an arm, but their efforts to reach tho shore were unavailing, and Mr Lotiguet, becoming exhausted, liad to leave the girl to Mr Qeorge, who ultimately had to let her go. Mr Longuet's youngest son had in the meantime gone out, and was folding his father up while efforts wore being made to obtain a life-line, but finally he had to let go and Jus father was drowned. So also was the girl. Certificate to Manuhiri Grenneil, aged 25. of Kaingaroa, Chatham islands, who attempted to rescue James Niven, of Kaingaroa, from drowning on March 17th, 1931. Niyen and a man named Scollay had transhipped a cntch of fish from a launch into a dinghy ahout 20$) yards from tlie shore, ana were proceeding to the shore with it wlipn the dingliv filled and became submerged when half way to the shore. Both men jumped out of the dinghy to avoid the suction of sinking boat. Niven could not swim, hut Scollay could a little. Scollay's erieg for help attracted Grenneil and Bishpu Ashton, who put out in a dinghy and, after picking up Scollay, pulled to where Niven sank nnd located him lying on the bottom in frpm three to four fathpms of water. Grenneil immediately undressed and dived for him, tut the depth proved too much and the body was eventually recovered with a fishing line «md efforts at resuscitation were made for three hours \vith no result.

Letters of Commendation. Letters of commendation each to Josephine Warren and Geoj-gina Warren, aged 20 and 18. of Wainui Beach, wjio rescued Eileen Morris, aged 17, of Gisborne, from drowning at Wainui Beach, on January sth, 1931. Eileen Morris, a poor swimmer, had just pulled a child out of a hole on the beach when she got caught, by the undertow and was quickly taken out. The two gii'ls, Gcorgina aiid Josephine Warren, ran from their house 300 yards away from the beach, and by this time Miss Morris was 200 yards out. They reached Miss Morris", but had a long struggle hack, because the high wind raised {i choppy sea. They reached the shore near enough to be assisted by other people who waded out.

Letter of commendation to Daphne Scheib, aged 16, a High School student, of Cromwell, whp rescued Isobel Van Tunzelman, of Jnvercargili, from drowning at Bluff on January Ist, 1929. MjsfS "Von Tunzelman was swimming ia eight feet of water, when she called for help. Miss Sheib brought her to shallow water. Letters of commendation to Ivan TurjibuU and Richard Coxon, both 19 years of age, who rescued Kate Eleanor of Dunedin, from drowning at St. Clair beach, Dunedin, on November 13th, 1929. . Miss Calder was in danger of being carried out to sea and signalled for help when 300 yards out. The life-sav-ing pavilion was broken into and the gear secured, but no expert was present. Moreover, the gear was defective. Turnbull took the line out, Coxon having gone out first and supported Miss Calder. Letter of commendation to Daphne Jack Taylor, aged 17, of Wanganui, whQ rescued Edward Baker and Maxwell Smith from drowning at Wanganui, 0» September 30th, 1930. Baker was riding a bicycle, with i Smith on the bur, along the wharf. They

fell into tie water, Taylor jumped in and pushed Smith ashore, going back for Baker, . Letter of recommendation to Itovey Tiako, aged Hi, of Koriniti, Wapganui river, who rescued Paul Ilauiaraiißj aged 8 years and 9 month 3, pf Koriniti. from drowning on December 19th ? 1930. T{io girl Tiako was folding the boy en her outspread hands in the water with the idea of teaching him to swim, and the boy slipped off her hands and sank. girl Tiako had trouble in rescuing the boy, who clung to her until ho was half-drowned, and she finally got him into shallow water with a canoe pole.