TE KORERO

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 89, 16 April 1927, Page 3 (Supplement)

TE KORERO

$oy Scours-

(Ry MICHAEL.)

PLUCKY ACTION AT

DUNEDIN

SCOUT TO BE DECORATED

MESSAGE FROM THE DLKE

it is always cheering t.» hear of .-.-outwho aot up to their prin.iplo. ami help others, even to risking their li\c* t., ,|., so. A Dunediu Hover ha> jn-i In-en recommended by the Dominion i ouueii to imperial headquarters for die (;ili I ross of the Hoy Scouts' .Wm-iatinn, This medal is granted onlv t" tlrtwc who have done their duty except ion.i !|v wellin cases of emergency.

Rover Scout Thomas Retime, uho i a the scout recommended, is seventeen years of age. The action for which the medal has been applied took place on St. Hilda Beach, Dunedin. on January .JO last. Mr. H. H. Mclntyrc, a hather, got into difficulties in the breakers and was carried out by the undertow. Eye witnesses have borne testimony that without Kennie's assistance Mclntyrc assuredly would have

bocn drowned. It is all the more to Kennie's credit that he volunteered to make the attempt to save Mr. Mclntyre as numerous bystanders had reiused owing to the risk. Ronnie succeeded, but owing to straining the muscles of his stomach in his efforts to get Mclntyre ashore, he was in bed for a week. Such actions speak for themselves as to the type of boy to be found in the ranks of the scout movement. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess have come and gone from our Dominion. During their visit they saw and inspected over four thousand boy scouts. In reply to a letter sent to His Royal Highness, the following reply was received from their private secretary:— " I have received your letter of March 18, and have shown it to His Royal Highness the Duke of York. He desires me to express to yourself and the Dominion Executive of the Boy Scouts' Association the great pleasure he has derived from inspecting the scouts at all the places he has visited during his tour through New Zealand. "He has been much struck by the keenness and smartness of the boys and those who arc in command of the various troops. And T am to convey to you His Royal Highness* congratulations on the excellent appearance of the scouts generally, and his best wishes for the continued prosperity of the association." Owing to the uncertain weather and the undesirability of taking a number of small boys to spend an hour or two crawling tbrough long damp grass and scrub, last Saturday's gathering of Boy Scouts was officially postponed. Notwithstanding this official postponement, quite a number of Boy Scouts and their Scoutmasters braved the elements, and found that a day on One Tree Hill was very enjoyable, even if the grass and hush happened to be rather damp and an occasional shower fell to cool their ardour. About seventy or eighty Scouts took part in a dispatch-carrying game, which gave the opposing forces some exciting moments. After this had been carried through successfully another game was played on one of the knolls, in which the opposing troops had to capture distinguishing badges worn for the occasion by those taking part in the game, the band having the largest number of scalps at the call of time winning the game. Scoutmaster G. Iversen, of St. Mary's Troop, and Scoutmaster Matheson, of St. James* Troop, were in charge of the improvised games. The Scout authorities hope that it will be possible to hold the postponed games rallv on Saturday, the 30th inst.