BOY SCOUTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 38, 14 February 1910, Page 6

BOY SCOUTS.

The large muster of Boy Scouts at Northcote on Saturday afternoon at the opening of the new hall plainly indicated how popular the movement has become in this part of the Dominion. B<>v Scouts to the number of about three" hundred paraded under the various scoutmasters, and the march past, led.by Hapi te Pataka in his picturesque native costume was very fine. Dr. R. H. Maksill (Commander North Island Legion of Boy Scouts) and Captain Arthur Pluege (District Commander) were prc-sent, and expressed their appreciation of the smart appearance of the boys generally. Lieutenants C. MeGilp and Gibb were responsible for the excellent military arrangement of the troops. The Mayor of Northcote (Mr. H. Cadnessi. in a neat speech, referred to the progress of the movement in the district, and declared the building open. v-r*>eches followed by Chief-Scoatmaster Horace Sfebbing (Inspector of Scouts), Captain Plugge, Dr. Makgill, Mr. C. H. Foob. >LP., Rev. W. E Gillam, Councillors H. Hunt and Van Veen, and Hapi te Pataka (interpreted by Mx. G. Graham). Chief-Scoutmaster Stebbing referred to the splendid work achieved by the I'O—linion Chief-Scout Major Cossgrove, of'Kaiapoi, who first introduced Baden Powell's Scouting for Boys to New Zealand, also to Dr. Mai-gill and Captain l*iu_srge, both of whom had done so much in the matter of the Boy Scout organisation. Eulogistic reference was also made to Dr. J. S. Purdy (late district inspector), who resigned the position owing to his departure for Tasmania. An opportunity was taken to thank those who had assisted in different ways in connection with the erection of the hall, and for gifts of pictures, books, etc. Many letters were received from citizens expressing sympathy with the movement, which is already influencing numbers of boys for good in the Dominion The Mayor of Northcote, on behalf of the local troop, presented Chief-Scout-master and Mrs. Stebbing with a handsome set of carvers as a mark of esteem. A commemoration service was held in the building yesterday morning, when Mr. H. Hunt addressed the Scouts. Mrs. Stebbing officiated at the hanuonium.