OPPOSITION MET

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 82, 4 October 1938, Page 13

OPPOSITION MET

LIFE-SAVING PATROL

FORMATION AT PARAPARAUMU

A rather unusual state of affairs in the attempted formation of a surf lifesaving club to operate on the Paraparaumu and Raumati beaches was brought to the notice of the Wellington branch of the Royal Life-saying Society last night.

Mr. D. F. Buckley said that the Wellington Surf Life-saving Association, which is responsible for the operation of the surf clubs in the Wellington district, had been conducting a campaign early this year to establish a surf life-saving club in the Paraparaumu district. At a meeting at Paraparaumu, attended by delegates of the association, much enthusiasm had been shown, and the formation of a club to be known as the,■paraparaumu Sur£. Life-saving Club appeared to be practically assured.

The work of organisation was being carried on by a local resident who was very keen to have a club established. Of late, however, opposition had been met with from an unexpected quar-1 ter. Apparently certain business people in the Paraparaumu community formed the opinion that the formation of such a club would cause people to fear a non-existent danger on what was a perfectly safe beach. They were afraid that the presence of a life-saving club would have an adverse effect on the popularity of the beach, and were strenuously opposing the foundation of the club. Mr. Buckley asked that the society should help, the association to overcome this prejudice against tile establishment of what certainly was an important community service. LIVES LOST IN SMOOTH WATER. ! "The mere fact that the beach might | be safe cannot prejudice the formation of a club>" said Mr. G. S. Hill, patron i of the Wellington branch of the society. "It is a well-known fact that a number of lives have been lost in smooth water only a short distance from shore., A combination of circumstances might quite easily cause a fatality on what is normally thej safest of beaches. He instanced the fatality on the Otaki beach which re-1 suited in the inauguration of the XjOnguet Shield contest. Mr. Hill advocated a demonstration by members of the society to be held on the beach in the presence of the gentlemen concerned. The meeting expressed itself as in sympathy -with the efforts made by the kindred association, and the holding of one or more demonstrations on Paraparaumu beach was recommended to the incoming committee. CLUB ESTABLISHED. The Wellington District Surf Lifesaving Association announces that a club has been formed on the beach, and commends to the attention of residents of the district the necessity of . their wholehearted support.

"The main object of a life-saving club is to patrol a beach and render assistance to any person who may require it," states a communication from the association. "Paraparaumu beach is a very fine one indeed, and recognised by all to be very safe, but the popular tion of the district is growing enormously, and the number of people taking advantage of the sea for bathing purposes is likewise growing and this is a fact which should not be lost sight of. It is quite a common occurrence for a bather to be seized by cramp while bathing, and many drownings have been, reported through this cause.

''A person may be unfortunate enough to be swept over by a breaker while bathing in shallow water, or a child may slip while paddling, but provided life-savers thoroughly skilled in the art of administering resuscitation are present on the beach, no danger can ensue. Many cases have been reported where a person has been rescued from a watery grave in an unconscious condition only to lose his life through the lack of some competent person to render resuscitation. "The Paraparaumu residents are indeed fortunate that a life-saving club wiU be operating on their beach this summer, for young and old will be sible to bathe in safety."