COMMUNITY SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 11

COMMUNITY SERVICE

WORK f>F SURF ASSOCIATION NO FATALITIES DURING YEAR Tribute to the community service being done by members of surf Jife-saving clubs T was paid-by-the president (Mr J. L. M'lndoe) at the annual meeting in the St. Clair Life Saving Club’s pavilion last night of the. Otago branch of the New Zealand Surf Lire Saving Association. Mr M'lndoe directed attention to the fact that there had been no fatalities either at St. Clair or St. Kilda during the year,’ which indicated that the clubs wore carrying out their functions. There was a good attendance of delegates, and Mr M'lndoe was unanimously re-elected to the position of president. Moving the adoption of the annual report (already published) and balance sheet, _ the Chairman said that the financial position of the association left nothing to be desfred. They had begun the season with £ll 6s 7d in hand, and finished with a credit of £B6 10s Id. He_ expressed his appreciation of the services given by the secretary (Mr J. M. Rodgerson) during the year. Mr M'lndoe said that Mr Rodgerson had performed his duties in a very efficient manner, and had proved himself a first-class secretary. " The St. Clair and St. Kilda beaches are not safe beaches if people are not experienced • swimmers, ’ said Mr M'lndoe, “ and, judging by the entire absence of fatalities during the year, the clubs have fulfilled their functions.He stressed the need for surf swimming to be <!bnfined to places set out by members of tho clubs. Swimmers should keep well within the flags, and, if they then got into trouble, there were competent men ready and willing to save them. Mr M'lndoe said that at the previous annual meeting he had referred to tho possibility of a visit from an Australian life saving team. This was about to materialise. The Otago Association was. invited to participate, but was allotted a date which made it quite impossible for the branch to meet the financial commitment (£SO). The days allotted were during the week. Subsequently, advice was received asking if the association would consider a visit if the guarantee were reduced to £4O. It had been decided that it was just as impossible to obtain £4O as £SO. It was a matter of great regret that they would be unable to have a visit from the Australian life savers, because their displays would have been a great education to the public of Dunedin and an inspiration to life savers here. He urged the St. Kilda delegates to stir up more enthusiasm and increase their membership, because lie felt sure that there would bo a largely-increased number of bathers on that end of the beach this season. The motion was seconded by Mr H. H. Henderson, who congratulated the association on its good report and on the state of the finances. All the officers were to be congratulated on the way they had carried out their duties last season. It had been with some misgivings on the part of those in the north that Otago had been allotted the New Zealand surf championships last season, but, after the meeting, they were quite unstinted in their praise of the way it had been staged. In future, ho thought, there would be no hesitation on their part in allotting the meeting to Otago when it was this province’s turn again. Mr Henderson paid a tribute to Mr M'lndoe’s work as president, and said he was to be congratulated on the work he had done in a very strenuous year. Messrs J. R. Callender and J. Pereira spoke to the motion, Mr Pereira stating that the treasurer (Mr I. L. Turnbull) was to be complimented on the fine balance sheet he had presented. The motion was carried unanimously. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of office-bearers resulted:—President, Mr .1. L. M'lndoe: vice-presidents—Messrs H. H. Henderson, D. C. Baunatyne, and J. R. Cal-

lender; lion, secretary, Mr J. M. Rodgerson; hon. treasurer, Mr I. L. Turnbull; delegate to New Zealand Council, Mr D. T. Buckley; district hoard of judges—Messrs H. H. Henderson, J. L. M'lndoo, D. C. Bannatyne, A. J. Kingsland. A. Findlay, J. Alexander, J. M. Rodgerson; district hoard of examiners—Messrs H D. Gillies, J. Pereira, A. Findlay, D. C. Bannatyne, A. ,T. Kingsland, J. 10. Salisbury, J. Alexander, and ,7. M. Rodgerson; gear inspector, Mr J. Pereira; hon. auditor, Mr .1. R. Callender; delegates from Otago branch. Royal I life Saving Society, Messrs I)! C. liannatyno and A. Findlav; dub delegates—Messrs H. James atid H. 1) Gillies (St. Clair). A. G. Beadle ami J. M. Rodgerson (Oreti), and two, from St. Kilda yet to be appointed.