LIFE-SAVING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1933, Page 14

LIFE-SAVING

SEASON OPENS

LYALL BAY CLUB

Despite the inauspicious weather conditions prevailing on Saturday, (lie . Lynll T!ay Life-Snving and Surf Club .successfully held its opening function. Among the visitors present were delegates from the New Zealand Surf Life-Saving Association, the Wellington Surf Section, the Wellington Swimming Centre, and members of the Maranui Club. Mr. P. F. Coira, captain of the Lyall Hay Club, spoke a few words on the successes of the past season. It had been., he said, one of the most successful years in the history of the club, but this year, it must be remembered, the rules had been almost entirely altered. Future success would depend on hard and conscientious training. Mr. R. Semple, M.P., congratulated the club on its success, and remarked on the splendid work that1 organisations of its kind were doing. Much had been said about the lack of appreciation of surf and life-saving clubs by the general public, but the respect that the names of the foremost clubs enjoyed was ample proof lo the contrary. The beach accommodation, it was true, ivas not of the best, said Mr. Semple, He was at present engaged on the. Evans Bay reclamation question, and would resist with all his power any attempt to destroy the natural facilities there existing for the promotion of the clean and attractive sports of swimming and yachting. Be had the City Council largely with liim, and hoped that something definite :md favourable would soon be gained from the Harbour Board. Mr. Semple then declared the club's sea- j son open, and •wished its members every tiuccess in the coming season. . Mr. J. Williams whs presented with a medal for winning the 150 yards backstroke championship of Wellington. . Mr. Coira then displayed a handsome jnonnted photograph of last season's winning teams, which had. been presented, with apologies for .absence, by the presi- : • lent of the club, Mr. L. P. Blundell. ■ , On behalf oE the members of the club, , Mr. J. Milburn presented Mr. Coira with \ *. framed photograph in appreciation of : his services. Mr. Coira, suitably re- \ plied. r Mrs. Sera pie was presented with a.bouij'uet by the club, . . 1 Afterwards, a short programme of events s was conducted. No individual events were ( held, all competitions being among teams i of four. , In the land relay race, the I< team (L. c C'ookson, T. Diaek, G. Williams, and L. - .Barrett) gained first place.' The A £ team (F. Ryan, B. Mclvor, A. Rogers,and G. Scaly) was second, and the E c team (L. Dawkins, E. Rex, L. McKeenan, t and J. Williams) third. The race was a i dose one, and inches only separated the s first three teams. Tn the tug-of-war contest, the I) team j. fW. Cameron, G. Twynham, K. Farcy, and F. Mollier) won, after a. hard struggle, with the D team (E. Mollier, A. Martin, A. Donoghue, and D. Clark) runners- 1 up. ' I The B team was also successful in the * .•■urf race, the course for which was taken 'v from a. point on the beach, round a buoy C placed about SO yards from the shore, and a back to the finishing line in front of the \ clubhouse. W. Cameron remained in front c all the way, and won easily. F. Ryan and V. Mollier, close togther. were second and third respectively. The A team was placed second.