TE KORERO

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 68, 21 March 1934, Page 16

TE KORERO

"Old Wolves" Training Camp.

There arc still a few vacancies, but please advise headquarters immediately if you are a possible candidate. Gilwell Reunion. A reunion of nil scoutcrs who have attended a Gilwell training camp, lias been arranged for Monday, April 2, at Oratia. Full particulars can be liad from headquarters. Their Good Turn. A very practical example of helping others wan made by the troop of Euawai Boy Scouts when a working bee organised by Scoutmaster 11. F. Judson at the residence of Mrs. 11. Strang, sen., was attended by 18 scouts, writes a "Star" correspondent. Arriving at the tick of 10 a.m., armed with spades and other garden tools, each determined to do his bit, tidying up and digging the widow's garden. Work went on until a break was made for lunch, and then continued until late into the afternoon. The scout movement, which is only in its infancy at lluawai, is fast growing in popularity, and all concerned owe a debt of gratitude to S.M. Judson for making possible the formation of a troop. Saturday's practical demonstration was one way of doing "a good deed a day." "Trig Hunters." One of our most successful journeys to the mountain peaks of the King Country was accomplished on a recent weekend, when we climbed to the top of Te Aroha, approximately 3000 feet high (writes the Otorohanga troop scribe). Although on the ITauraki Plain this summit, like Maungatautari in Matamata, has many King Country associations and comes within our boundary of the fairyland of the Maori.

Our party of "trig hunters" (who now have ten major ascents to their credit) was made larger by a patrol of To Awamutu scouts, and also some of our scout friends from Hamilton troops. At 11 o'clock we the climb, starting from the Domain and taking a little used track that would give us some difficult climbing before we reached the top.

Wo relied on a party of Morrinsville boys as guides, but after breaking a track through heavy fern uphill for a mile or two, we were all fairly certain we were pioneering on a trail that had been very seldom u«-ed, if cv«>r. So we traversed some deep gullies and climbed over many high ridges before finally we saw below the well-formed track that runs from the town to the mountain top. Even then our trials were not ended, as we kept on climbing in the belief we were on the trig hill, to find when we reached the top at 2 p.m. that it was merely a spur on the main ridge. We therefore had to descend some ;iOO feet to find the regular track, which took us to the top by 3 o'clock.

A heavy haze obscured our familiar sentinels, Pirongia, Kakepuku and Maungatautari, but we could discern the golden sands on the Kast Coast, an immediate contrast to the black ironsands of Kawhia, and also a portion of the Thames estuary. Such a pretty river the Waihou looks from this height, threading its way amongst the intensely farmed districts of the plain.

Sad to relate most of our soon Is were so tired by tlie time we readied the formed traek that the final lioiy's climbing found a small patrol of six on the high summit. As soon as we reached the Domain again we aII joined together in a plunge in the beautiful hot springs bath that has made Tc Aroha famous. World Census. The total number of scouts (at the close of the scout year 1!).'!.'!) existing in the 48 countries recognised by the International Committee was reported as 2.200,545, and an increase of 230,1 OS on the world total for the previous rear (1032).

Scouts in the British Empire were given as numbering 871.02."); an increase of 17,810 over the total for 10.'!2.

Great Britain and Ireland were reported as having again gone ahead with a total of 480,379, ail increase of 2050. Scouts in other parts of the British Empire numbered 388,052, an increase of 15,401.

British groups in foreign countries accounted for a total of 2504 scouts, as against 3225 the previous year, a decrease of 031.

Of the totals for Great Britain and Ireland, scouts in England numbered 300,200, as against 302,708 in 1032. an increase of 3501. Scotland showed a total of 50,200, as against 50.488, a decrease of 270; Wales a total of .10,450, an increase of 01 on the previous year's figures of 10,305; Ulster revealed a decrease of 85 in the previous year's figures of 0427, with a total for i 033 of 0342, and the Irish Free State had decreased by 242, having fallen from 2345 in 1932 to 2103 in 1033.

■ Of the above British Empire totals, wolf cubs (junior boy scouts) accounted for 158,741, rover 'scouts (ape 17 and over) numbered 38,04.'), sea scouts 5:172 and rover sea scouts 884. The deep sea scouts (seafaring boy scouts) numbered 1247, an increase of (51, including 39 oversea deep sea scouts.

There were 05,824 warranted scout workers in actual work with scout groups, an increase of 2502.

The number of commissioners of all Tanks had increased by 287 to 3507, and the number of local association ollicials by 3448 to 24,537.

RIDDLES. Q. What is the difference between a man who has no money and a good pillow ? A. One is hard up, and the other is soft down. Q. Why should turtles be pitied ? A. Because theirs is a hard ease. Q. What knot can't be untied? A. A knot in a log of wood. Q. When is a boat not a boat? A. When it turn turtle. Q. What has more feet on it in winter than in summer? A. A skating pond. Q. Why is a £1 note like a bridge? A. Because it goes from bank to bank. ' Q. What has neither legs nor feet, but wears shoes? A. A stony road. Q. Which is easier to spell—"even" or "odd"? A. "Even," it is spelt with e's (ease).