Vice Regal opening for vital rescue service
Her Excellency the Governor General of New Zealand is the Patron of the Sumner Lifeboat Institution and will officiate early next month at the opening of their recently refurbished on-shore station and the launching of a new rescue craft.
The City Council’s Events Team is helping with preparations for the 2 July event. The old buildings, slipway and land around them was owned by the CCC and all have been rezoned “esplanade reserve” and vested in the Council, with a significant low-interest loan, amortised by way of annual Community grants over the next 10 years, contributing to the refurbishment.
Sumner Lifeboat was the country’s first permanent rescue service. On 26 August 1898, The Press covered the ceremony to launch the first dedicated rescue craft, a four-oared “whaleboat type” with water/air-tight compartments, built of mahogany at a cost of £150 including freight and charges.
One hundred and seven years on the technology has changed but not the effectiveness of the service or the fact that all are volunteers. The new vessel, Hamilton Jet Rescue, is ready for action from the new Scarborough station shed. Hamilton Jet Inc and CWF Hamilton & Co are major sponsors of Sumner Lifeboat.
The new craft will be christened and buildings officially opened at the Sumner Lifeboat’s Scarborough station at 3pm on Saturday, 2 July.
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