LIFE-SAVING COMPETITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1922, Page 5

LIFE-SAVING COMPETITION.

THE JUDGE’S REPORTS. SCHOOL ENTRIES DISAPPOINTING. Reports in the recent life-saving competition held jn New Plymouth iu connection with the Tabor Shield, secondary schools competitions and the Hughes’ Cup for primary schools were received by the North Taranaki branch of the Royal Life-saving Society at their meeting last night. TABOR SHIELD. The judges for the Tabor Shield, competition (Messrs. A. Mathieson and K. F. Kirk), which was contested by Old Boys A and B and East End A and B, detailed their award as follows:—Oto Boys A 117 (total 130), 1; East End A 113, 2; Old Boys B 110, 3; East End B 99, 4. Commenting on the standard of work, the judges said that on the whole & considerable improvement was shown on that displayed in previous competitions. No one team displayed any outstanding weakness, a fact which proved the keenness with which training had been taken in hand and the detail that had been carefully considered. The winning team no doubt owed, their win to the margin of points gained over the remaining teams for resuscitation and promotion of warmth, though in the balance of the work they were only beaten in two sections of the drill. For the very bad direction taken by the subject, support and beltman the winning team suffered in points, but this was only one phase of a lengthy competition. Their execution of the remainder of the movement, however, was worthy of congratulation. This explanation was made as some persons held an adverse opinion on the decision.

The judges were accorded a very hearty vote of thanks for the full report submitted.

SCHOOL COMPETITION. The schools life-saving competitions were robbed of much interest owing to the small number of teams competing,” commented the examiner (Mr. Mathieeon). In the secondary schools, boys’ class, the Boys ’High School team was the only entrant. A lively interest was shown in the secondary schools girls’ contest, but the teams competing represented only on school, comparing very unfavorably with the first and second years in which the contests were held.” The suggestion was made that the Hawera and Eltham schools be approached and asked to show the same interest in this work as they had shown some years ago. Stratford, Waitara and Inglewood, where facilities for swimming exist, might also be asked to take up life-saving work with a view to entering into the competition.

The work this year had not been up to the standard of previous years. The Girls’ High School teams were very neat in the land drills, but, in the water work, weaknesses in the release methods was evident; otherwise the waterwork was good, although in some cases a-little slow. In the primary division the work was not quite so good as in the senior contests, though this was only to be expected, as some of the contestants had only a short time in which to practice. Nevertheless, considering the unfavorable summer and the fact that no properly organised school classes were held this year, the result must be taken as fairly satsfactory. The secondary schools girls’ competition resulted: Girin’ High School A (total 235) 210}, h G.H.S. “C” 204 J, 2; G.H.S. “B” 192 J, 3. For the Hughes’ Cup for primary schools the possible was 180 Result: Central No. 3 (1671) 1, Central No. 4 (1655) 2, Central No. 1 (164) 3 Three other Central teams filled the remaining three places. ■Mr. Mathieson was also accorded a hearty vote of thanks for the full report forwarded.