FOXTON BEACH FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3900, 29 January 1929, Page 3

FOXTON BEACH FATALITY.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —-With regard to t'he various reports of the .bathing fatality at Manawatu Heads and -comments made respecting the life-saving reel being too far away from the water, we desire to explain that the present position of the reel ds very little above high water mark on heavy spring tides. The driving westerly •winds have undermined the building on several occasions with the result that it has been removed and re-erected quite recent* ly. Early in December a heavy spring tide broke right through the old river course and connected with the river about 'half a anile from the sea. The beach committee some six years ago procured a life-sav-ing reel imtounted on wheels and erected a shed to hold same, and just prior to the holidays the reel and line were thoroughly overhauled and put in best of order. A new coil of best life-saving line is kept at the beach to replace the present one at short notice. These all have been provided by beach sectiqn holders. Ais lar as we know this is the only occasion on which/t>ho reel has been wanted and used.

At the titae of procuring the reel it was arranged to form a Life Saving Club, but owing to the promoter being transferred from the district it fell through. Various attempts have been made since then but haye failed through lack of support. The beach committee get the bulk of their funds for improvements from, the section holders and visitors iwlio occupy the houses during the holidays, also Foxton business people. The visiting public, whose safety has to be provided for, give practically no assistance financially. If it had not been for a few enthusiasts connected with the beach very little would have been done, the committee having no means of revenue outside what can be collected on the beach. —Yours faithfully. A. G. DAWfICK (Chairman), C. H. WHITEHEAD, (Hon. Sec). Sir,—l wish to draw the Borough Council’s attention to the danger of those obnoxious trademongering signs by greedy traders, that encroach on the public footpaths and street, and which are a source of annoyance to pedestrians, especially on rainy days. I am etc., A. SUFFERER.