IN THE SURF

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2685, 3 February 1916, Page 2

IN THE SURF

FRANCO-TAHITIAN RECRUITS BATHE. At the invitation of the Reserves Committee of the City Council, the Franco-Tahitian recruits, who,are visiting Wellington en • route to Noumea, were invited to surf-bathe at Lyall Bay yosterday afternoon, and two special cars conveyed over a hundred Frenclimen and Taliitians to the beach, where inider the direction of Mr. Geo. Frost (chairman of the Reserves Committee) and Mr. M'Bain, the men were given costumes suitable to the &urf. The visitors proved to be a very veloped lot of young men, and if the "laze" of the Islands can be taken out of their bones, they should make good soldiers. They nished for the water eagerly, and fell into the breakers with great zest, but few of them appeared able to swim, and the offer of soiifboards fell upon deaf cars. It -was deduced that the Taliitians, unlike the Hawaiian®, are not lovers of the sea, and do not go in for surfing as is the caso at Honolulu and othor Sbufcli Sea. Islands, the reason given yesterday being that their coasts were' infested with sharks. Anyhow, those at Lyall Bay yesterday did not exhibit any prowess in the surf, but just sported round, -waist-high, like a crowd of laughing schoolboys, thoroughly appreciating tho dip, and the experience generally. After they came out, some of the men complained of the water being too cold for their liking. As soon as they dressed they were treated to afternoon tea, which they thoroughly .enjoyed. It is suggested that the visitors, who will return to Wellington by the Manuka on Friday morning, might be interested in Trentliam Camp, "and that it would be a simple matter to run them out and back during the time they will have at their disposal to-morrow. Much disappointment was felt at the abandonment of the concert that was to have been given by the Islanders at the Town Hall last evening. It appears that as tlie men are to go forward to Sydney by the Manuka, , the Union S.S. Company judged it better to send theni south 'with that steamer last evening than to keep them ashore here. As the vessel was not to sail until 10 p.m.. it was still thought possible to hold tho concert, until Sergeant Doujas discovered a regulation which stated that the men had to be on hoard three hours before sailing time. This effectively banned the idea of a concert, and announcements to that effect had to be made at the eleventh hour.