WITH THE SCOUTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 207, 29 August 1912, Page 8

WITH THE SCOUTS.

There w_» a good muster at <he rally in the Domain, on Saturday afternoon. Auout forty boys were selected for special instruction in ■m-rching under Major Cummind and Inspector Rust, and did good : work. The other boys were given practice • in rignalllng, physical and stave drill, and the rally concluded with a flag raid. • A reply has been received to the challenge sent to the Canadian Cadets. * ot , competitions the Cadets prefer miliary work, but they appreciate the spirit whicprompted the challenge. The District Commander has inspected the following troops:-l»t Ponsonby, unuer Bcoutmaster Lynch; St. Aidan's, under Scoutmaster Seton; and Richmond, unuer Scoutmaster Bobinson. The District Commander was particularly pleased with the lire drill of the Richmond Scouts, who were being examined for their fireman badges. The Kelburne Scouts from Wellington arrive on Thursday morning, and tnelr brother Scouts ore determined to make their visit thoroughly enjoyable. All troops are requested to parade for ! Divine service on Sunday morning at StMatthew's. Assemble at Grey Statue at i 10 15, without staves and haversacks. The Kelburne Scouts will he Invited to attend this parade. On Thursday evening a number of boys of the Illchmond lixcelslor Tooop (Scoutmaster Robinson) were examined at the Arch Hill fire Brigade Station for their fireman's badge. The work done by the boys reflects great credit on the training they have received under Captain Greis Hud other members of the fire brigade. The Provincial Commissioner (Mr 11. Stebbin,.) nnd the District Commander (Mr Buddlei complimented the boys on the excellence of the drill, which included fixing hydrants, attaching hose, reel drill, and wet practice. ; The boys gave a most interesting display. It Is contemplated in the uear future giving the public au opportunity of witnessing general Scout work in the Aucklaud district, and no doubt an item of fire drill will be of interest. * ( Efforts are being made to place the' troops In the outlying districts on a mor< pennaneut anc] satisfactory footing. The Ellersllc troop will meet on Satuwiay evening next for the annual reunion, when it is contemplated reorganising the Scouts ia that district. ! The Ponsonby No. 1 Troop was visited last week by the District Commander and the Provincial Commissioner, who inspected | the Troops in their work. Both remark'd I on the good work done by the boys. In connection with this troop, Serceant-Major . Howes is leaving to take up the assistant- j scoutmastershlp of the St. Barnabus' | Troop. Troop-Sergeant Neilson has been appointed assistant to the Ponsonby No. 1. On Sunday the boys attended church parade at St. John's. | Last Friday the St. HellcT's Bay Troop held manoeuvres on tbe beach. This troop now consists of 15 members. I—lst Friday night a young lady fainted in St. Heller's Avenue, and five boys of the troop who were in tie vicinity Improvised a stretcher and carried her home. Still another instance of the utility of Scout I training. I The St. Aldan's Troop was visited by the | Provincial Commissioner and the District j Commander on Friday last. The boys are i busily occupied In carrying out the work , required for the -second class examination.; This troop Is v.ow under the supervision of j Scoutmaster Seton, who has entered into tbe work of tbe organisation with conidderable enfrsislasm. Already quite a number of recTi%)ts have been obtained since affiliation with the Diocesan Brigade. ' I A strong troop is being formed in connection with St. Mary's Cathedral, Parnell. and it Is probable that nn application for Scoutiaastership will be received from Mr .T.- --ChlHne-ry : Brewn, nnder whose energetic command the new troop is bound to be a success. No. 3 Devonport Troop will hold a concert tn the Parish Hail towards the end of i October, in order to provide funds for the annual camp. An interesting and varied | programme is being arranged, and there Is every prospect of the concert being a great | success. A dispatch run has been arranged j with the Takapuna Troop for next Saturday afternoon. The mounted troop WM be tbe aggressive party, and their object I ill toe to get the dispatch through to the —acecour —e, which will be defended by No. 3 Troop.. Chief Scoutmaster Simpson has again assumed command of the Nos. 1 and 2 Devonport Troops. An enthusiastic meeting was held in the club room. Mount Victoria, on Friday evening last, when It was decided tbat the troop shall meet on Friday evening each week. Patrol Leader L. Wilson was unanimously elected secretary of the troop. __. dispatch run was arranged after the meeting. Scout J. Falrgray very cleveriy getting through the ranks of the enemy and delivering his message to those for whom it was intended. i On Wednesday evening the St Matthew's Troop met In the schoolroom for the purpose of farewalllng their late Scoutmaster, Inspector Rust. Mr. Rust, in a brief talk to the Scouts, explained that the pressure of other duties had compelled him to resign from the position of Scoutmaster. -Inspector Campbell was then asked to tssuine command of the Troop, and the senior Scouts of the three patrols present presented Mr Rust, ou behalf or their patrols, with a gold-mounted fountain pen and holder, a bound volume of military works, __d a useful pocketbook. Mr. RobJohns, in a short speech, referred to tbe excellent work done By Mr. Rust. The District Commander presided over the social which followed, and the toast "Every Success to Our Late Scoutmaster" was drunk to musical honours. The St. Matthew's will; in future meet on Wednesday evenings iv the parish schoolroom. The All Saints' No. 1 Troop bad a church parade to St. John's, Ponsonby, ou Sunday iast, for the purpose of having their troop 4ag consecrated There were present: Provincial Commissioner Stebbing, District Commander Raddle, Chief Inspector Campbell (AS Saints' Troop Scoutmaster), Scoutmaster Astley (Mt. Albert). Chiet Scoutmaster Boug-rd (Devonport Ho. 3 King's .Troop), Scoutmaster Berry (King-land), Scon-master Lynch (Ponsonby No. 1), Scoutmaster Johnson (W.Y.M.1.), Scoutmaster Veart (All Saints'), and Assistant-Scout-m-ster Walters (All Saints'). Tbe Scouts jtssembled at the Three Lamps, Ponsonby, and marched to St. John's, where the colours were received by All Saints' Troop Chaplain, the Rev. Lawry. In a very interesting address, Mr. Lawry explained the alstory of the colours, and dedicated them to the service, not of war and bloodshed, hut of truth and honour. At the conclusion of the sen-ice the Troops marched to the leservoir, where they were dismissed. The Devonport No. 3 Troop sent a colour party with the King's Banner. This was much appreciated by the Ponsonby Scouts. The District Commander has been visiting as many as possible of the troops, and: is well pleased with the standard of work" , as a whole. iLe prefers to see the troops . at some practical work, not only on a formal I parade, and in this manner he hopes to get . an insight into the various methods adopted by the scoutmasters, and If possible arrive at some definite method, so that all troops may be accustomed to the same words of command, etc, thus avoiding confusion on ceremonial parades. j The general parade on the Domain on ] Saturday last was not nearly so large as was expected, less than two hundred officers and Scouts being present. The principal work of the afternoon was the selection of thirty Scouts to compete with the Canaui_n Cadets, in the event of the Scouts' challenge being accepted. Major Cumming and Lieutenant Rust took great care In making the section efficient, and towards the end of the afternoon the boys were drilling In a way which called forth words of praise on every side. A number of flags were posted iv an open space. Scoutmaster Berry (Kingsland) commanded a force which acted as the defenders, and Scoutmaster Thomas (Bden) commanded the attackers. Some rapid rushes on the part of tbe attackers and the consequent rapid change of front by the defenders, resulted in some highly interesting mimic bottles. At the conclusion of the manoeuvres, the Provincial Commissioner Introduced the District Commander to the boys, who received him with cheers. Mr. Buddie, in replying, said ii was bis hope that the Auckland Scouts would do all they could to keep the good name which, they bad 'woa for ti_a__er-eßi |Jat-t_M-t. 1

The patrol of Sconta from Wellington, . who ar-ived in Auckland this momiu_j lo take part la the first-aid competition, are a weu-net-up, s,uut lot of liius, a—v _._uuid give a good account of themselves. They are under the command of Scoutmaster Lawson, and number six. If they are successful in winning the shield, Auckiaud lads can only wish them the best of luck, Cor the local teams are putting In some sterling work. The Scouts were met at the station by District Couiniaiider iluduie. Chief Inspector Campbell, inspector itust, Chief Scoutmaster Uongard, aud Scuut- '. master Prosser, who welcomed them to - Auckland, and wished them every success. , A. number of Scouts from AH Saints', Devon, port No. 3, Ponsonby No. 1, and Takiapuua troops were present, and acted as guides, , etc The majority' of the visiting Scouts are being accommodated at the homes o{ the Auckland Scouts, and the remainder or the lads are staying with friends. Scoutmaster Lawson, who is in command, says the team represents WeUington'a best. The All Saints' Scouts purpose visiting : St. Heller's Bay on Saturday week, and : spending an afternoon in general scouting with the local troop. The boys will take their haversacks with a supply of rations, ' and intend holding a camp-fire and singsong, | The Heme Bay Troop (Crnef-Scoutmaster A. G. Stebblng) are celebrating the completion of their club room by an expedition to Titlrangi on Saturday next, weather permitting. DISTRICT ORDEBS. The latest district orders are just to hand, and are in a businesslike form. | Attention is drawn to the fact that all boys should be registered up to date. This is a matter that every Scoutmaster should personally attend to, as when the halfyearly returns are forwarded to Christchurch, Auckland does not want to only get credit for half the Scoots trained, as will assuredly happen if the returns are not . sent in. j The half-yearly report form is also attached. This is the first form of its kind we have seen, and certainly some of the questions asked in It are hardly such as a Scoutmaster would be expected to be the best judge of as regards his own troop. , Thus: "The discipline in my troop has been" j . . . . We can scarcely imagine an officer filling in the word "bad** about the troop he has pint half a year's ~oiuntary labour into. "The practice of doing good turns has heen" . . . How many Scoutmasters could possibly find out if their boys had really done a good turn each day, when they only meet the lads once a week? The other questions on the form are sensible, and' such as an officer could answer in a moment. I The Provincial Commissioner is recalling ' all commissions for his endorsement. The . district secretary wishes these to be forwarded with the returns within ten days. I Rev. Lawry, chaplain ot All Saints' No. 1 Troop, in a letter to Inspector Campbell, asked bim to convey to the Scouts his admiration for the splendid discipline and behavioui) of the boys taking part In last Sunday's church parade. He says, *'I am proud to be chaplain to such boys." At the meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital and <3barH__ie Aid Board yesterday, the Public G«_K_ Committee reported.; "There appears to be no effective restrictions regarding co-su-mptrve persons landing in -New Zealand. Re- j oentry a. rein with his wife and family arrived here, and now ca_y four months j after arrival application __ac been made for the wife's admission to a sanatorium. She had been under treatment in a Frwa+orin-m in Engfand, bat was not cared. The husband says he canrrot pay the fees if she is admitted. The committee has decided that in this case the fees must be paid if the -patient is accepted as an inmate of the institution." . It was decided that the attention "of the Minister for Internal Affairs should be drawn to the matter. At a meeting of the Port Albert Fruitgrowers' Association held yesterday j strong feeling was expressed against the I Waihi miners' strike. A mirnber of mem- i bers promised to support the Enginedrivers' Union, and one member was ap-1 pointed to canvass the district for subscriptions in aid of the union's funds. I Style 167 is a nice comfortable corset I for the slender figure; it son be washed j _s safely as Hoyle's prints; price 6/, from your local draper-—4 Ad.)