GIRL GUIDE HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 271, 15 November 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

GIRL GUIDE HOUSE.

•'B.P." AND THE CHIEF GUIDE

PRESENT.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

When Princess Mary, as president, laid the foundation stone of the new Girl Guide headquarters on May 23, she was marking a very great advance in the history of the movement. The cramped and uncomfortable state of affairs which existed when it was necessary to share -the Boy Scout headquarters has been brought to an end by the efforts of the Guides themselves. The building, which is. to be six storeys high, with a main frontage on Buckingham Palace Road, is being built by the Guides' own money; 2/6 buys a brick and £10 a corner stone, while a room costs from £500 to £1000. Brick ,by brick the money lias come in until the sum of £34,000 has been raised out of the necessary £74,500 and enough of the "Guides' House," as they proudly call it, has been completed, ready for a formal/opening and the laying of' the foundation stone by the president. Long before the , appointed hour of half-past two the entrance in Palace Street was crowded with people, and a guard of honour of Westminster companies lined the streets where Princess Mary was to pass. The Chief Scout and Chief Guide were there early talking eagerly with Guiders from the ends of the earth. Perhaps the Guider who had come farthest for this great occasion was Mrs. Wilson, commissioner for New Zealand, the pioneer of guiding in the Dominion. It was a very wonderful gathering; gold and silver cord Guiders and wearers of all kinds of hard-earned and coveted distinctions were there, and everywhere was, the true Guide atmosphere of friendliness and happiness. All the world knows what a great man the Chief Scout is, but not nearly so many people have had the chance of knowing about Lady Baden-Powell. She seems to be just as much the perfect Guide as her husband is the perfect Scout, her dark brown eyes laugh at the world, and even on such a very busy occasion she found time to talk to everyone, to answer innumerable questions and ,to look calm and unflurried as if she were in her own home entertaining a few friends. She had a bad throat and was almost hoarse, but that made no difference, and in no way diminished her amazing gift of making a complete stranger feel as if she was an old and valued friend.

Another interesting Guider was Miss Baden-Powell, sister of the Chief Scout and vice-president Of the council. Dame Katharine Furse was there, also Lady Jellicoe and Dams Meriel Talbot, who is doing so much in connection with the schoolgirls' tour of New Zealand. When Princess Mary arrived with her lady-in-waiting, Miss Dorothy Yorke, the Chief Scout brought her into the room which is to be tne equipment showroom. Mauve begonias and hydrangeas were used to line the front of the platform between the two standards, the one given to Princess Jtfary by the

Guides of Norfolk when she was married, and the Chief Guide's own standard. The rows and rows of Guiders in uniform, with their keen, intelligent faces, many of them young, women, gave a splendid impression ofuhe good training which has carried guiding all over the world.

A Guide choir led the singing in a very beautiful little ceremony, which began with the National Anthem, sung by the Guide choir., A series of presentations were made to Princess Mary by Lord Baden-Powell, and there was a tumult of cheering when Miss Montgomery,'the general secretary of the association, had the silver fish hung round her neck by Princess Mary, for the silver fish is the highest possible award for service, except the gold fish, which Princess Mary was wearing herself. When Miss Montgomery came to the middle of the platform and turned to salute all the assembled Guides the enthusiasm might well have shattered all the windows in the new building. The laying of the foundation stone was then carried out by Princess Mary after La-dy Baden-Powell' had put a copy of the authorised programme of the day, a current copy of the "Times," current coins of the day, current edition of the> "Association Report" and the tenderfoot brooch in casket into a cavity behind the stone which was lowered into position. After the architects had presented Princess Mary with a trowel and gavel, which she later gave to the staff of the new headquarters, Princess Mary declared the stone to be well and truly laid in .her beautiful deep voice which is scarcely ever heard in public, as she will not make speeches. It is so remarkably pleasing that people were disappointed not to have the pleasure of listening to her for longer. The Guide choir sang a hymn from an old Sarum Primer, "God be in my head: and in my understanding," which Was followed by a prayer for the movement offered up by the Chief Scout and finally the singing of the psalm wMch begins "Except the Lord build the house," and a very old and lovely blessing which ends: And blesse ye roofe-tree overhede, And everie sturdye walle, Ye peace of God, ye peace of man, Xe peace of love on alle. After the final singing of the National Anthem Princess Mary, conducted by Dame Helen Gwynee-Vaughan, was shown all over the completed part of the building. Everyone commented on the praiseworthy , thoroughness with which she insisted in seeing everything from the terrace roof, which has such a lovely view of Buckingham Palace Garden, to the basement. The offices are really a model of lighting, ventilation and efficiency, beautifully cool on such a hot day, with enormous windows fitted with Vita glass. The big electricallyfitted kitchen is connected by three large hatches, with the dining room, where Guides can entertain their friends when they are in town. There is to be no sleeping accommodation, but when the building is finished there will be a library, recreation rooms and a council chamber, as well as numerous offices, storerooms and the hall for the display of equipment. Enthusiastic Giiiders were offering to turn the terrace roof into an Italian garden, so no doubt some keen

gardener will turn her hand to it and rival the roof garden of Adelaide House, where the New Zealand Dairy Board lias its offices. The glories of the new Imperial headquarters are manifold, but it is the spirit of the place that is» most reassuring. New Zealand Guides will find, when tlicy visit these imposing buildings, that it is, indeed, as the Guide law ordains, "A Guide is a friend to all and a sister to every other Guide."