TO THE RESCUE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1930, Page 4

TO THE RESCUE

AN UNREHEARSED COMEDY. . CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21. On unrehearsed comedy incident took place at the carnival held by the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association at tbe> Tepid Baths last night. An exhibition of life saving was being provided, and, to assist in the provision 'of a, realistic atmosphere, 'it was- arranged! that the drowning man should fall into tne wafer fully clothed, and be rescued by Mr Jack Breward, who was similarly attired. The victim duly tumbled into the water near the deep end, and Mr Breward calmly sat in the top gallery' watching him “drown.” An elderly spectator, on the side of' the bath, however, failed to under-, stand that the struggles of the “victim” were an elaborate pretence. After waiting vainly for a few minutes for &\ swimmer to dash to the rescue, he* plunged iri, fully clothed, and dragged a very unwilling subject to the bathside. ‘ ' It was not until the man he had “rescued,” calmly pushed off -from the bath side and proceeded “to* “drown” all over again that he realised his error, and he 'climbed from" the bath amid a storm of laughter. Meantime Mr Breward vaulted over the heads of the spectators in the gallery and carried out- the exhibition.