BATHING FATALITIES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 5

BATHING FATALITIES

THE WORK OF PREVENTION

LIFE-SAVING IN BRITAIN

Bathing fatalities in Great Britain account for an average of 2500 deaths a year, according to Mr. H. 11. Lock, chairman of the London central executive of the Royal Life-saving Society, who arrived at Auckland by the AVanganella on Wednesday on a short visit to New Zealand, states the "New Zealand Herald." Mr. Lock has been invited to the Dominion by the New Zealand council of the society to investigate and advise on various aspects of life-saving work. The toll of accidental deaths by drowning in Great Britain was admittedly heavy, Mr. Lock said. However, there was a hopeful feature in that, although tho number of people taking up swimming in recent years had increased to a marked extent, the number of fatalities had remained steady. Drowning accidents had been kept in check, and, on a percentage basis, even reduced. Efforts wero now being made to provide a greater measure of safety on the beaches. __ In England thero was not- the scope for surf life-saving work that there was in Australia and New Zealand. There wero no real surf beaches. Nevertheless, part of his mission was to inspect tho work of the surf life-saving clubs and to find out how far the details of their organisations could be followed in England. BEACH PATROL SYSTEM. "Wo have inaugurated a system of beach patrols in England through the agency of tho Lifeguard Corps," Mr. Lock said. "Our chief difficulty is that there is a very small seaside population. Men bave to be trained in the inland cities and towns and their work subsequently organised on the beaches, and they may not be available there for any great length of time." Mr. Lock said the society had 42 branches throughout the Empire, and last year had distributed 77,000 awards for proficiency in life-saving. During the 45 years of the society's existence, the grand total of awards had reached nearly a million. A fair amount of educational work was done in England, especially in the council schools—the equivalent of New Zealand's primary schools. The great public schools, such as Harrow, also gave attention to life-saving work. Mr. Lock has spent some time in Australia and will return there after about a fortnight in the Dominion. Later, either ho or a colleague, Mr. J. C. Fishenden, of London, a vicepresident of the society, will make a more extended tour of the Dominion.