DROWNING DEATHS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 56, 29 November 1937, Page 6

DROWNING DEATHS

— I're8s AaaopialioTi.)

Toll of the Road is Eclipsed VALUE OF SURF CLUBS

TeleKr»Dh

NEW PLYMOUTH, Last Night. Tbougb tbe - tbll of deaths on tbe roads was enormous many more lives were lost annually in tbe rivers and sea in. New Zealand,. said the Minister of Public Works, tlie -- Hon. 11. Semple^ when opening tbe Opunake Surf Club's new building at Opunake. ' ' IIow many people really appreciate tbe wonderful . work done by tbe .New Zealand Surf Clubs, wbose members risk tbeir lives for. Ihe safety of the ecmmunity?" he asked. "If every person in the Dominion sefc out to do a simi'lar job, it would get right back to the greatest message of tbe world: i'l am my brother's keeper.'" The total ilgures for an average month in the swimming season were; — Killed on tlie roads, 1931 13.25 Drowned, 1931 25.20 1932, road-s 13.25 1932, drowned 24.60 1933, roads 10.00 1933, drowned 25.40 1934, roads 12.66 1934^ drowned 24.10 The surf clubs, said Mr Semplo, liad saved 1799 people from drowning in the Dominion. If roads accidents continued at the present rate 2000 wouid be killed and 40,000 injured, and unless something were done even more would be drowned. The main purpose of the Miuister's visit to Taranaki was to open the new bridge at Te Kiri to replace the structure washed away ,by the flood tbree , yyara ago, . • C