WELFARE OF BOYS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 157, 19 September 1941, Page 5

WELFARE OF BOYS

SCOUT COMMISSIONER'S VISIT

ADDRESS TO BUSINESSMEN

Commissiioner Hector Christie, who is virtual head of the Scout movemeni in New Zealand' made: most of the opportunity of addressing' a gathering' of local businessmen on the occasion of his visit to Wh'akatane yesterd'ay. The gathering which took the shape of an informal luncheon, over which His Worship the Mayor presided was attended by some twenty gentlemen representing the Scouting interests as well as members of the Chamber of Commerce, which organisation hadi sponsored!' the idea when first it was mooted. Commissioner Christie, who was accompanied by Mr F. N. Christian District Commissioner of Tauranga, and District Secretary, Mr H. Ward Allan, was at pains to explain that the Boy Scout movement was completely apart from any military training whatsoever, though invariably a boy who had experienced scout training was always a better soldier when he did join the army, than one who had not been a scout. There were. 16,000 scouts in New Zealand (an increase of 5000 during the past four years) but the ultimate objective was 20,000. In, fact Sir Cyril Newall, the new Governor-General, had said; that there were 75,000> boys of scouting age in the Dominion, and he wanted to see them transformed into 75,000 scouts. Thirty-three Years Old l The movement was thirty-three years old, and though most people realised the importance of the work, and were prepared to admit that the boys, had justified themselves, few realised just -what it meant, or what were its objectives. It Avas for this reason that lie was making his tour of New Zealand. Experience in Britain had taught that scout training was 'the goods.' It was the ability of boys to turn their hands to whatever service was required of them, that made them invaluable to the authorities during times of crisis.

Scouting was a game for boys. It had never pretended to be anything else for its founder realised that to be successful boys would have to learn to play at being at work.t Lord Baden Powell recognised the natural urge for activity in every boy and to that end planned a programme, which would appeal' to the members and at the same time develop their physical, moral and spiritual welfare. The code made for everything which would turn' out worthwhile human beings, g Teaching Leadership Unlike compulsory school work where the average boy assimilated knowledge grudgingly scouting introduced hobbies. By virtue of the patrol system it engendered leadership. This was , perhaps the most vital of the entire schedule of training. In leadership the aim was not merely to meet immediate needs but to take a long range view, discovering. boys who would take a leading part in the great reconstruction which must inevitably follow the present Avar. "Our Governor General," saidi the sjpeaker, "has said that of all the efforts being made to prepare boyS andl girls of the Empire for the future, the Scout andl Guide movements' are in the very forefront. He has been impressing on me the necessity of redoubling our efforts in order to increase the number of scouts in New Zealand and of interesting more people in its activities."'

He- appealed to all present to give every encouragement to the movement, and to remember that the programme of training made for complete moral fitness of the boys enrolled . A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Commissioner on the call of the Mayor after which the gathering broke up, many of those, present taking the opportunity of meeting Mr Christie personally before taking their leave.