LIFE SAVING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 979, 21 November 1910, Page 6

LIFE SAVING.

SATURDAY'S EXAMINATIONS. , -Oα -Saturday afternoon.at. the Te.Aro Baths a largo crowd gathered to witness the life-saving examinations, and an exhibition of scientific swimming by Mr. W. Henry, chief secretary of the Royal Life-Saving Society. On the platform at the Baths, a squad of eight men were put through the various .ways of rescuing and rescuscitating the apparently drowned. The competitors then had to dive into the water and go through the same performance. When 'this was finished the competitors resumed , their attire, excepting coats and boots, dived into the water, and swam a distance of 20 yards, and had to rescue a. number of swimmers ,who acted as dummies, after which they swam a distance of COO yards without their coats on. Each man had .to swim 200 yards on the breast, 200 on the back, and 200 yards in : any other style,-and, when tho distance had been finished, each had.. to' undress in the water, plunge 15ft., dive from heights of oft. and loft, and then do three acts in trick swimming. Many who witnessed the performance termed it a very severe' test. . .'■ • For the . proficiency certificates, each man had to carry, his man 10 yards. Messrs. R. O'Plaherty and G. Hill passed in this examination.

The following passed in the examination; for the bronze medallion:—Messrs. A. A. Somerville, W. F. Dudson, B. O'Neill,'G. F. M'Kellar, D. M. Russell. R. Grimmett also weat in for this examination, but did not compete.. Messrs. R. Nelson, R. Healy, and F. Roberts of' the , Thorndon Club, completed their examinations for the medallion. Mr. G. Bruce, of the Thorndon Club, who was unsuccessful at the. surface diving on Friday,, managed, after a third attempt on Saturday, to get the object up. and bring it ashore, and was awarded a proficiency certificate'. C. Collier also concluded his examination and passed. In the Award of Merit test, the following passed: — Messrs. A. W. Smith, R. Healy, H. W.. Kirkwood, B. C. .Preyberg, A. Arthur, K. Russell, and W. Russell. The points gained are as follow:— Freyberg, 63 points; K. Russell, 56J; Healy, 541; W. Wilson, 54; C. T. Arthur, 431; A. W. Smith, 521; and H. Kirkwood, 49. The possible was .SO points, and the' smallest number that could be gained .was 40 points. For the Feature Certificate, Messrs. B. C. Freyberg and F. J. Wilson passed. Hon. Instructor's Certificates w.ere obtained by Messrs.. G. Neal, W. Wilson, and C. M'Kellar. -.-...-

The result of the sealed handicap diving competition*is as follows:— J. Stratford, handicap G points, total 18 (1); H. W. Kirkwood, handicap S points, total 17 pointe (2); B. C. Freyberg, handicap 3 points, total 16 po.ints (3). • The 50 yards handicap race resulted as follows :-H. C. W. Blick (6sec.)/I; H. H. Little (lsec), 2. Time, 36 2-ssec. - At the conclusion of the examinations, Mr. Henry gave exhibitions in fancy, diving, and fancy and trick swimming, which' were much applauded by the spectators. Altogether about 59 awards were made. ■