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DISTRUTION OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY'S
MEDALS AND CERTIFICATES.
MELBOURNE, 26th June.
(BY TELEGRAPH.—FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The Town-hall was well filled to-day on the occasion
of the distribution of the various medals and certifi-
cates to those who had been successful in saving life.
The Governor presided on the occasion. Henry
O’Donovan, aged eleven years, was presented with a
bronze medal, and made a capital speech in acknow-
ledgment. Great applause was given when Mary Ann
Poole (nine years), Agnes Bahlman (fifteen years), and
Adele Ellis (thirteen years), appeared on the platform
and much disapprobation was shown by the audience
when only certificates were awarded, in the cases of
Agnes Bahlman, Adele Ellis, John Black, and Ed-
ward Lucas. John Bean, who was awarded a gold
medal, received immense applause, the Governor
stating .that such gallant conduct deserved a gold
medal, which had only once before been given in this
colony, for such heroism, the recipient repeating his
gallant action within the short space of one month.
In presenting a silver medal to Lefevre, he said his
action in swimming ashore through the surf with the-
Trinculo’s line, showed what could be done by the
pluck, skill, and determination of the British sailor ; and
in presenting Hall’s prize, he said the attention of the
Minister of Railways should be drawn to his action. On
the conclusion of the presentations,the Governor stated
that Pearce would be presented with a silver (not a
a gold) medal of the Royal Humane Society, and said
.the Secretary of State requested that the presentation
should be made as public as possible, and he thought
no more fitting occasion could be taken advantage of
than the present. The collection realised £38. Mr
Berry, in moving a resolution that the society is en-
titled to the generous support of the public, hoped
that their hands would be strengthened, so that
the court would be able to give more
medals and fewer certificates in future. He thought
the latter should be given where life was saved
through the result of knowledge ; but where succorers
risked life, a medal should be awarded. The secretary
said the awards were governed by the conditions,
circumstaness, the age, and sex of each person
qualifying. Mr Zox moved a vote of thanks to the
.Governor at the close of the proceedings.
The following is a detaded list of the awards as
originally intended :—
Henry O’Donovan, saying the life of Robert
Mitchell, 27th December, 1877, by diving into Ovens
River, near Tarrawingee, and after a severe struggle
bringing the latter to land.—Bronze medal.
R. Watson, saying the life of Emelia Hardigan, on
26th April, 1878, by diving into a large dam, near
Talbot, and bringing her to the bank.—Certificate.
J. B. Hill, saving the life of C. E. Stewart, 10th
August, 1878, by jumping into the River Yarra, and
bringing the latter, who was in the last stage of
drowning, to the bank.—Bronze medal.
J. Lilley, saving the life of J. Morgan, 25th Septem-
ber, 1878, by jumping into the sea off Albany jetty,
Western Australia, on a very dark night, and sustain-
ing the latter until the arrival of a boat’s crew.—Silver
medal.
Constable J.M’Gann, attempting to save the life of
J. Smith, 26th August, 1878, by diving after him on
the River Wannon, near Cavendish.—Certificate.
Andrew Duffy, railway guard, for having probably
averted a serious catastrophe by walking along the
footboard of a train which was going at the rate of
thirty-five miles an hour, mounting the roof, and ex-
tinguishing a fire which was raging there.—Certifi-
cate.
Messrs T. Ryant and J. M’Gee, for saving the life
of W. Tucker, on 27th November, 1878, by diving
into the River Yarra and bringing him to land.—
Bronze medal each.
M. A. Poole, for saving the life of Elizabeth Clark
on 30th November, 1878, by jumping into the Won-
derful Reef dam, at Daylesford, and rescuing her.—
Certificate.
Agnes Bahlman, for saving the life of her brother
John, on 2nd January, 1879, by jumping into the
River Yarra and rescuing him.—Certificate.
Albert Schmidt, for saving the life of a person
named Dywer, on 15th December, 1878, by jumping
into Hepburn’s lagoon, near Creswick, and bringing
him to the bank.—Bronze medal.
J. Earle, for saving the life of Nathaniel Rosenwax,
on 22nd July, 1879, by jumping into the River Yarra
and rescuing him.—Certificate.
J. Hegarty, for saving the life of a man, name
unknown, on 28th July, 1879, at St. Kilda Baths.—
Certificate.
W. J. Hall, for saving the life of Mrs Orr on 28th
February, 1879, by jumping into the sea off Brighton
pier and rescuing her.—Bronze medal.
Joseph Harris, for saving the life of A. Dale on
29th January, 1879, by jumping into the River Yarra
and rescuing him.—Bronze medal.
Adele Ellis, for saving the life of her brother on
2nd April, 1879, by jumping into the River Campaspe
at Kyneton and rescuing him.—Certificate.
John Bean, for saying the lives of C. Gibson and a
man, name unknown, by jumping into Hobson’s Bay
on two separate occasions from the steam-tug Alba-
tross and rescuing them.—Gold medal.
J. Black, for saving the life of L. Clatts, on the 1st
May, 1879, by jumping into the River Yarra and
rescuing him.—Certificate.
C. Batt and B. Charles, for saving the life of W.
Wheelright, on 15th February, 1879, by jumping
into the Great Extended Hustler’s dam, at Sandhurst,
and bringing him to land.—Certificate.
J. M’Pherson, for attempting to save the life of W.
E. Rolfe, on 13th December, 1878, by diving into the
Saltwater River.—Bronze medal.
T. Lefevre, for saving the life of the passengers and
crew of the barque Trinculo (wrecked at the Ninety
Mile Beach on 31st May, 1879), by jumping into the
sea and swimming through a heavy surf with a log
line, which was made fast on the shore.—-Silver
medal.
E. Lucas, for saving the life of a boy, name un-
known, on 10th January, 1879, by diving into the
River Yarra and swimming with him to the bank.—
Certificate.
J. J. Hall, for saving the life of J. T. Cassely on
the 18th June, 1879, by jumping in front of the
Footscray train and dragging him off the line.—
Bronze medal.
Constable J. Cash, for the skill and perseverance
displayed by him on 3rd June, 1879, in restoring to
consciousness W. Lewis, who was drowned.—Awarded
a certificate of the society.
$