GIRL GUIDES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 46, 24 February 1931, Page 11

GIRL GUIDES.

The usual annual conference oi' Commissioners was held at "Otimai," the "Foxlease" of the Dominion, on Thursday last, Mrs. W. R. Wilson, Chief Commissioner, occupying the chair. Owing to the delay in the' arrival of the Rangitata, the Chief Guide was unable to be present. In welcoming the delegates —35 in all —Mrs. Wilson expressed her regret at the absence of tha Hawke's Bay members, but said as far as she had been able to ascertain, none of the Guides had lost their lives, although several their relatives and their homes, and the members stood in silence to signify their sympathy with them in this terrible disaster. Miss Gray, of Nelson, then apologised for the absence of Mrs. Tolhurst, with whom she was staying, and Mrs. Wilson expressed her regret in which all present joined, and in a vote of sympathy with her in her illness and hope for her speedy recovery. Miss E. Bell, deputy-Chief Commissioner, of Wellington, then addressed Mrs. Wilson and asked her acceptance of a Standard which had been subscribed for by the Guides all over the Dominion, as a token of their affection and appreciation of the aroat work she was doing for them, and she then requested Mrs. Ely, Head of Standards, who had superintended the work, to present it to Mrs. Wilson, which she did in a few and well-chosen * words. In accepting this handsome present Mrs. Wilson said she was particularly touched by the kindly thought of inscribing the words Faith, Love, Service" on the Standard, which was the "Otimai" motto, and she asked them all to live up to it. It was decided that in' view of the lateness of the meeting, which should have neen held in November, but was postponed to enable the Commissioners to meet the Chief Guide, the next conference should not be held until 2*oyemboi, 1932, when it would take place in VY ellington. A very hearty vote of was accorded to the willing hcipeia w io provided lunch and afternoon tea, ai:

the meeting then adjourned, the rest of the business to be discussed with the Chief Guide present.

Tlio Chief Guide, Lady Baden-Powell, visited the shop and office at headquarters on Friday evening, inspected everything and expressed great pleasure at all she saw. She also met the former secretary of the Girl Peace Scouts who, in company with the president, .Mrs. Bedford, had had the pleasure o£ being present at a parade of the girls at Government House, where, at the kind invitation of Lady Islington, the New Zealand president, they were inspected by the Chief Scout when he visited New Zealand in 1912. She was greatly interested at the information that the first committee of Girl Guides was '.iresided over by the Mayoress, Lady Ginson, in 1923, and that the only two left of that committee, Airs. Ely and Miss Statham, were now both on the executive; the former as Head of Standards, and the latter as magazine secretary. Lady Baden-Powell then went upsta ; rs, where the Commissioners were again assembled to meet her, and discussed many problems with them and gave go. d advice and counsel. The members of the executive under Mrs. Kecble then provided an excellent supper, which closed a memorable and very pleasant evening.