surfresearch.com.au  paterson : surf beaches, 1932

He was  a member of the North Styene Bathers Club and said to have imported a surfboard from Hawaii, circa 1908-1912.
However, note that despite the inclusion of the photograph of Jack King and another surfboard rider at Manly (Photo #3 below), Paterson makes no mention of surfboard riding in his article, prefering an account of "the thrilling surf life boat races."

A more interesting and informative article probably written by Paterson (the author is identified only by initials) in 1908.
See Source Documents:
C.D.P. : Sun-Baking, Surf-Bathing, and Camp Life in NSW.
Extract from The Red Funnel, Dunedin, New Zealand.Volume VI, Number 3, April 1908, pages 268 to 271.

Also see exerpts from Paterson's President's Report of his world tour of surf beaches in 1924:
Surf Life Saving Association of Australia : Annual Report.
Extracts from: SLSA of Australia: Annual Report and Balance Sheet 1924-1925.
The Manly Daily Print, 18 Sydney Road, Manly.

AUSTRALlA has approximately 12,000 miles of coast line, and practically the whole of it is a great chain of beautiful golden sandy beaches, ideal for surf bathing.
Where else will you find such profusion?
Individual beaches in other Countries are made much of, but where is another Country so prolific in this respect with all their beauties and advantages?
One is apt to be over-whelmed with the abundance of them.

Even if we have not told the World as others have, their wonderful attractiveness is forcing itself to its notice.
They are by virtue of their own value becoming better and better known to those ever on the lookout for Ssomethmg new, somethlng worth while.
Australians themselves have long ago realised their worth, and avail themselves of their advantages to the full.
Favoured with glorious sunshine throughout the year, the conditions are such that surf bathing is now the greatest national pastime of our people.
And look what it is doing for them!
It has opened up a field of pleasure for all ages and both sexes.
It is free to everyone.
The combined effetct of salt water, fresh air, and golden sunshine on our clean sandy beaches, is accounting for the general improvement (of it race already unusually robust), in the healty stamina, physique, grace and beauty of our youth.
It ha has largely contributed to the record which we hold as the healthiest Country in the world.

In a recent speech His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales declared that he strongly believes the future of British trade and industry would depend on the peoples' fitness and vigor.
If Australia's future prosperity is to depend similarly, we have little cause for fear.
Where else, even now, will you find such magnificent, well developed, upstanding vigorous specimens of the human race as may be seen on our beaches?
In the metropolitan area of Sydney alone we have upwards of 20 distinct beaches, available to the million and a quarter in-habitants of our city, and visitors.
Just imagine it for a moment- over 20 perfect bathing beaches, within the Sydney Metropolitan area. Other cities consider themselves fortunate if they have one.
Hundreds of thousands of Sydney inhabitants use these beaches every day, and so it is throughout the whole of our picturesque coastline.
It is calculated that the average attendance on the beaches of N. S. W . on a Summer Saturday, Sunday or Holiday, is not less than a quarter of a million.
As the direct out-come of the popularity of surf bathing, has arisen what is probably the most unusual voluntary organisation in the World.
The Surf Life Saving Association of Australia.
A humanitarian organisation ...

Page 43

... with the sporting instinct strongly developed.
There is little or no danger to the surf bather provided ordinary care is exercised, but as the crowds of bathers increased, so did the risk.
Many ventured too far out to sea and had difficulty in getting balck.
A severe back wash, or perhaps the sweep in one of the many channels which form, would take bathers off their feet, and poor swimmers were soon in trouble.
This had to be stopped if the popularity and safety of surfing was to be maintained.
Starting in the early years of the present cenutry, gradually Clubs were created on each beach, composed of athletic young men, possessed of more than the unusual swlmmlng ability (in a nation where a knowledge of swimming is common to almost all) and filled witll the desire to help their fellow batherr in distress.

Qllite voluntarily, and at no little personal expense, they undertook the work of guarding the bathers in their leisure hours.
These Clubs, which now exist throughout the Commonwealth, embracing a membership of about 6,000, are all banded into one great controlling oganisation - The Surf Life Saving Association of Australia, than which no finer body of young men could be found, living and working up to their motto of "Vigilance and Service" and all voluntarily.
Australia and the World will never realise the high debt we owe these youths.
In the past 20 years the recorded rescues by the Club Members were over 20,000.
Many go unrecorded.
It is not that our beaches are dangerous, but the great spread of the enormous crowd of bathers on any popular beach, often forces individuals into channels which otherwise would be avoided.
These channels change from day to day according to the prevailing wind and are also effected by the tide.
What may be perfectly safe in the morning is dangerous to a weak swimmer in the afternoon.
The Head Centre of the Surf Life Savers is naturally Sydney, but centres and branches with their groups of Clubs operate throughout Australia.
This Association has published a handbook which serves as the world's textbook on surf or open water life saving.
Its teachings, as well as the special gear adopted as a result of many years of experience, have been followed in many countries in the old and new world.
All active Members of Clubs are required to undergo strenuous training and exami-

Page 46

... on before being allowed t take up the voluntary duty of patrol work on the beaches.
The Club members meet regularly in interclub competition.
These take the form of Surf Carnivals" held almost weekly on the beaches in Summer.
These usually prove most impressive as well as exciting.
Often 1,000 competitors participate.
The programme opens with a parade of 2O picked men, from each CIub participating, with banners flying and life saving gear complete.
The brightly coloured distintive marching costumes, the gay banners, the the magnificent specimens of vigorous youth, sturdy and bronzed, carrying themselves like well disiplined soldiers, proud of their membership and record, under azure blue skies, and in perfect sunshine, constitute a spectacle of virile manhood of which any Country can be proud, and which one cannot witness without a thrill.
The programme which follows embraces strenuous surf and rescue races, as well as a variety of beach athletic events, but the crowds wait for, and watch with bated breath, the thrilling surf life boat races.
These brest the largest waves on the outward journey, often standing on their end in the attempt, while on the return to the beach, after rounding the buoys a quarter of a mile at sea, they shoot with the speed of a rocket on the crest of the shoreward racing waves, in a whirl of fan like spray.
Capzises are frequent, but they only add to the excitement, but the skill attained by sturdy sweepmen, like Vikings of old, saves many a boat crew from a hasty ducking, if not more serious injury.
Australia owes much to these Clubs, but the health and vigor of young Australians it typified by its youth on the beaches, and this health and stamina, which is daily being built up, will be reflected in the vigour  with which Australians all will face the burdens of life now, and in the years to come.

Page 47

Photograph #2 Exciting finish to Surf Boat Race - note the great  following waves. Photograph by  Levon Cayley Studios.

Photograph #3 Sydney lads have gained much proficiency as Surf Board Riders. Photograph by  Levon Cayley Studios. Later printed in  SLSAA: Surf in Australia January 1, 1936, page 4. Credited as  Jack King of Manly Club, rides a surfboard.  - Block by Courtesy of Manly Tourist Burea.

Art in Australia: Sydney Bridge Celebrations Art in Australia Limited,1932. (Arthur McQuitty, McQuitty House, Regent Street, Sydney,  for Art in Australia Ltd., 24 Bond Street, Sydney.)  Paterson, C. D.: Our Glorious Surf Beaches. Pages 42 to 47.

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