IMPORTANCE OF LIFE SAVING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 13, 7 September 1931, Page 6

IMPORTANCE OF LIFE SAVING

BRQAOCAST ADDRESS Mr C. D. Paterson, president since 1912 of the Surf Life-saving Associaiibn of Australia, addressed the world ihis month during a week-end broadeast by AAV.A., through station VK2ME. Mr Paterso.n, who has been actively engaged in supf and life-saving organ^sations for many years, described the Oeauties of Sydney's beaches and indted oversea listeners to come aofl 'ry them out at the earliest opportunity. On Bondi heach, he said, 12,000 'iathers could be accommodated at one time in the bathing pavilion. The Life-saving Association was the direct outcome of the popularity of surfbathing. The head centre of the association was in Sydney, with seven ixranches and 70 clubs in New South Wales, emhracing a membership of 5500. . The work was entirely voluntary, and each clubman must pass a severe test before heing admitted to full membership. The value of the clubs was shown by the fact that the recorded number of rescues from drowning totalled 18,315, and many other rescues were recorded. Several members of the association tiad received from the hands of the ICing the Alhert Medal, the highest award for lxravery in the British Empire granied to civilians. In Soutn Africa an association was being established exactly on the lines of the Australian organisation, and iri Holland the Australian life-saving gear used tiad been adopted. Egypt, India, Belgium and Bussia had all sought information from Australia in order to lake advantage of the experience gained.