SILVER CROSS FOR GALLANT SCOUT

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1947, Page 5

SILVER CROSS FOR GALLANT SCOUT

-Press Association

By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, July 15. It was today announced by the Dominion Headquarters of the Boy Seout Association that his Excelleney the Governor General, acting in his capaeity as Dominion Chief Seout, had approved of tlie award of the Seout Association 's Silver Cross to Patrol Leader James Game, of the Te Kopuru Group, Northland, in recognition of his gallant action in reseuing a boy from drowning on the afternoon of 'March 21 1946. On the afternoon in question a number of boys between the ages of eight and fourteen years were swimming in the river at Eopes Landing, Te Kopuru, where a strong ebb tide was running, the lads having previously been warned not to go ont into the current which was about tiftv'yards from the shore. After splashing about for approximately lialf an hour one boy brought a rowing boat out and at the request of the bathers took some of the boys into the boat with liim. Somehow or other one boy aged eight, and a very poor swimmer, fell overboard, lost his head, and paddled right out into the current which swept him out and under Ropes Landing. Seeing what had happened, Patrol Leader James Game, aged thirteen years, went to the help of the struggling boy and reached him just as he was going under. and as a result was dragged and pulled under by tlie boy in difficulties. However, lie managed to free liimself and seizing the boy swam down stream to some piles below the wharf where he hung on until the boat reached them and took the, bov) who had been. rescued into the boat in an exhausted condition. and then brought him ashore. James Game swam ashore, then went home as if nothing had happened and told no one of the incident.