THE CHIEF SCOUT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20330, 1 September 1931, Page 8

THE CHIEF SCOUT.

, _ # ..... ■ NEW ZEALAND VISIT..

LORD BADENtPO WELL'S impressions: 4

(FROM OUR OW.V CCB.tESPONDBST.)

LONDON, July 23,

"l am feeling better than I ever was," said the Chief Scout at the end of a ten minutja* interview which I had with him at the Scouts' headquarters. This was the only chance I had to -divert his attention from the movement to himself, and it. was jusj; as he was hurrying to take a taxi for another engagement. .

Lord Baden-Powell is certainly looking the of health after his long tour, and at tho end of our conversation he expressed the hope that he would have another opportunity of visiting New Zealand.

"We were tremendously encouraged," he said, "by the directors of education both in New Zealand and Australia, all of whom are fully in favour of our work. I think Ne*v Zealand is ahead of Eugt land In the matter of education generally. In the South African war I was in command of British troops from all countries, and it seemed to me that the New Zealanders, of .whatever class, were always gentlemen, as distinct from all,the other overseas men. From that one gathers that the education in the Dominion is more up-to-date," and gets at the boy through his character rather than through mere scholastic attainment. Judging by results, the educational methods produce reliable fellows whom you can trust. When you get into the higher grades where they are doing the work of politics you can trust them not to be corrupt.','

, The Scout Movement. Beferring to the Scout movement in New Zealand, Lord Baden-Powell said: "There was sortie trouble owing to organisation. Our principle is to decentralise. In -Nqw Zealand they had a" tcndencf to centralise, and when the work gets into the bands of one man who may not understand the spirit of tho movement things go wrong. That is over.-~ There is a -very good man in charge now, and the Scout movement in New Zealand ig just going like, oil. Tho Girl Guides,- too, are 1 splendidly managed. • "We went out at a very important time, not only because of the change of organisation, but because of the economic depression. It is so vital that each country should realise that the prosperity of the Empire.will fall on the next generation. It will take years to bring about reconstruction, therefore it is essential that the next generation should be specially trained. We cannot afford to havei any wasters. Something must bo see that all the new generation should work not for their own interests, but for the interests of the country. "In New Zealand there are -11,000 Scouts and 11,400 Girl Guides. That-is not enough. Our aim is to get more workers into the movement, so that' we can get a larger proportion of the boys, with a view to training them for really usef citizenship in the next 'generation.

"The Girl Guides in New Zealand arc going along splendidly.-They, too, are most important for the future of the nation. As mothers of the nest generation, they are the actual builders of character. Enthusiasm of the Public.. "What particularly struck .us," added the Chief Scout, "was the wonderful enthusiasm of the peopl? and the numbers who came to see our shows, and the j tremendous interest they display. That is a very big help to the movement. Although the Scoutmasters and the Guides' officers, look for no thanks it is ' an enormous encouragement for them to know" that th,e public are really takifig an interest in their work." , Tho Chief Scout looked at his watch. I "I must go," he said, lie seized his hat and umbrella and as we went down

the stairs he spoke of his fitness after his travels, and lie mentioned that he only had three days' fishing and three weeks' scouting in New Zealand. "But they werp very kind to me," he eaid. "They made it as easy for me as possible." v ;; It is Lord Baden-Powell's view that character trainings ia; : much" need*d.in young countries whoio discipUnS ficult to inculcate through repressive measures from without. In the Scout movement it is through tho spirit •from within—the spirit of playing the game. i