LIFE SAVING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 5

LIFE SAVING.

,• ®'PBAOHCAL LECTURE, ■Jlr. "Win, Henry, secretary' <of the -poyal I/ifo Saving Society, who is at tore3eirt on an organising tour of -the (Dominion in the interests'of life-saving work, gave an interesting lecture to swimmers, and. others at tho 'Concert Chamber, Town Hall, last evening. Mr. 6. S. Hill, president of the - local Branch', occupied the chair, and though the attendance was not very largo, keen gterest-was shown iri the lecture. Mr. Henry said that the art of swimming was of great antiquity. It was really impossible to say. when men began to earliest evidences ■ available indicated that the' art must have had a general vogue years and years Before. The lecturer traced the gradual development of tho public baths system m England to its present widespread popularity and demand. . 'Every year, he said, - public interest in swimming ■ was growing, and, correspondingly, "the number of -baths was increasing - very rapidly. Among/women, swimming had become _very popular, and tho members of the fair sex wero seriously challenging the supremacy of the men in tho swimming races, and in 'recent years had been very prominent in. the 15-milo long-distanco races.- In last year's Vrftco fourteen lady competitors took part; all of them finished, tho Inst being twenty-first, and quite a number were among. the first clevon to finish. Mr. Henry stated that the whole end and aim of swimming was not tho . winning of. races,' but tho saving of life, and for' tho ideals of tho Royal Life-Saving Society to bo fostered in the best possible way it was essential- that' tho movement should bo strongly supported by tho swimming clubs. .He • had been agreeably surprised to find_ how much interest was being!: taken in .the art of life-saving in Now Zealand, and referred in complimentary' terms to tho excellent work ho had seen in the local baths during the last two days. A squad of local enthusiasts, who bad given: a good account of themselves during a practical test which had been supervised by Mr. Henry at tho baths the previous day, then mounted tho platform and gave an excellent display of'life-saving drill, showing tho various methods in voguo for taking liold of a . drowning person, and the precautionary measures to be taken to avoid disaster when the rescuer is clutched in the water by tho drowning person. The most approved method of resuscitating tho apparently drowned was also de- . monstrated. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Henry at the close ' Df his lecture.