SCOUT NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20038, 20 September 1930, Page 7

SCOUT NOTES.

{Exoiiurr* to Tsi Phh.] [By Lorb Wot*.] Commissioner Montgomery. After three months' absence on holiday In the United States, the Metropolitan Commissioner returned to I Christchurch last week. Much of his holiday was spent in investigating the organisation of the Scout movement in the States, which now possesses a membership of a million. The American public support the movement generously, and San Francisco, in addition to raising funds for troop work and camps, raises over £12,000 annually for headquarters and training expenses. The result is that the movement has several full-time, highly qualified, paid training officers and camp chiefs. The qualifications required for warranted ranks are high, badge tests are conducted by expert examiners, and the services of expert instructors are utilised to the utmost. One American Scout handbook has already a circulation of over four millions. St. Mary's Group, Merivale. A lantern talk on the Jamboree, displays by the Scouts in tent-pitching, camp bed-iraki ng and improvised stretchers, and the Grand Howl, pack haka, and jungle games by the Wolf Cubs, all formed part of the programme for the Merivale Group's annual parents' evening on Monday last. A gratifying number of parents and friends were present. Tho group has been in existence only a few months, but both Cubs and Scouts showed that they are full of enthusiasm. The following Group Committee was elected for the ensuing year:—Chairman and chaplain, the Ven. Archdeacon P. B. Haggitt; hon. secretary, Mrs M. C. deary; Messrs A. S. Mazey, Henry Wyatt, W. Parr, and Mesdames W. A. JSumbold, C. K. Sams, A. S. Luck, and E. H. llargreaves. Scoutmaster G. Slater is in charge of the Troop, and Lady Cubmaster Joan McLeod is in charge of the Wolf Cub Pack.

NEWS AND NOTES. The annual Dominion ccnßUs is being taken this week. It is expected that the Cliristchurch figures will show a decrease for the year. This is due to the fact that only warrant otucera and invested Scouts are eligible tor registration. In order to secure uniformity, and correct the Dominion and Metropolitan Headquarters are cooperating with the suppliers of e>cout equipment, to ensure that only Enghsu pattern official uniforms and equipment are supplied. The English uniform i* now the official uniform in thi» country, both for officers and boys. A Scout troop will probably b9 formed shortly in connexion with St. Saviour's Church, Sydenham. A meeting was held last week, and plenty of boys are already presenting themselves for enrolment. It is hoped that officers will be forthcoming to enable the troop to commence work almost immediately. Many Scout troop* are in n«ed of signalling Instructors, who are willing to give half an hour or mote per week to this work. A meeting of the Advisorv Committee was held, when many matters of importance were dealt with, including the Chief Scout's visit, the badge tests, uniforms, training and officering. ■ ■ The Boy Scouts of Canada are preparing again for their Canadian-wide ''good turn," in providing toys for the poor children andsjorphans. in their country, at Christmas. Scottt entertainments are held to buy toys a®d materials,- and thousands or broken toys are collected and repaired. Thii splendid good turn by the Scouts ha# resulted in scores of thousands of children being made happy, who otherwise would nave been toyless on Christmas morning