THE BOY SCOUTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20497, 16 March 1932, Page 19

THE BOY SCOUTS.

.—♦ aEETING IK LONDON. BADEN-I'OWEU.'S appeal. OUK OWH CORRKSPONDEXT.) (fl®* LONDON, February 2. . jgdeii-towcll, the Chief Scout, 'id over the annual general meetcouncil of the Boy Scouts' ' n I^ oll^ols * ' lO l* u k e of (president), in a message, on the wonderful M the returns received by the -yeeat in 193 2 * increase amounts to fi1,424 on ear's total. The increase in the &J. Kinedom has been 39,379, and r lio Dominions overseas 32,045. The touts ' n t* lo Empire 110W amount '"The increase this year has been par--hrlr satisfactory, considering the 1 tionall}' difficult conditions— depression and unemployment, '"Till tho absence of any advertisetof the movement. I congratulate f?i and fady Baden-Powell on the unrtMtedly g ood rssults tiiat havc fo1 " their tour in New Zealand Auswhich is most gratifying, /if understand that fc'ue world total .mounts to over two million and "tarty thousand. This, together with *.-piily-incrcasing growth of the Girl rdto movement abroad, cannot fail Ijrodwe. within the next few years, a Ihtible 'leaven of citizens, impregjTj the spirit of mutual frienuwhich should havc its contribu«rtTeffflct in maintaining the peace fthe world." ' Dominions and Colonies, lord Baden-Powell, speaking at the Cttference of County Commissioners, Ijjd: ffe in the Scouts, must carry on our ftrk'ii an optimistic frame of ruiud ti lelp ia what way we can to bring tuk prosperity through the oncoming gyation. The report of our movesat shows that in spite of the depsjedatato of the country there lias Lb good progress all round in training tie boys, both at Home and overseas. Oo numbers have increased by 51,000 is lie year. This is the moro remarkwte seeing that there has been no out,l»3uig boom for the movement in that jtriod. Tie increase in numbers and cfificiney has been even moro marked in our tnneu Dominions and Colonies. This, too, in spite of the extraordinary ffinnmic difficulties under which wo are labonrinu. Since my recent visits to New Zealand, Australia, and South . iirita I liavo received letters recordisj moarkable further developments » nut of those countries. In India a increase of some ten thousand had booghfe the numbers up to 173,000, lfriift, considering the unsettled state «fpolitical affairs in that country, is ray reassuring. One tery encouraging fact that has iammeed itself upon me is that, bends att this progress in numbers and efitsenef there is a marked increase in the feeling of mutual brotherhood betseen {hew younger sons of the different states of the British Common- ! TtealtK which augurs well for their futon relation*, , PttWc Services. The Cbiek Sooatj referred to the appeal o&the Pripoa of Wales for public service. He aaiddkwant to ivsk Commisuoners to repm'a§ soon as possible to mo what pmicufer-lines of public services hav*JteoK tj&en up or are respective districts to it hen be able to issue other centres. Man/ anxioqs to serve, tot for practical L jls <§» Prince of Wales has Said, Bus pf*<£p service is not meant to Hi a flash in the pan but an ra&rtilßßg "for the duration" of the These public services ■m not' only beneficial to those to jrinet fl>ey,had rendered, but form the best-training for the Scouts themlience my reason for dilathem. To make these serore effective in the future ;hoso thousands of unds we need still wider exfche movement. This will lore as our Hover Scouts pips anct from the greater ; universities come in to ranks of our Scouters. ; eirfttl progress made in the i successfully continued, iu difficulties, during the last IJaden-Powell concluded; <MHfli'mi.'"all to visualise to some exWqt'nat ire could do in this nnd the Of years if we bestir ourselves; I *J*hope that you Commissioners Ie inspiration to your ScoutI our country's depression portunity for helping h6r|; .the time to lay'their plAns tig the movement yet wider r. boyhood; and to make ing yet more effective >in 6 healthy, happy, , helpful tcreaso of 168,000 Scouts, t number of Scouts ; (at the, i Scout year, 1931) existing »untries recognised by the al. Committee was reported an increase of 168,033 on total for the previous year I'ihe British Empire were lumbering. 808,307, an in>1,424 over the total for ftain and Ireland were ie'Having again gone ahead il.of 457,477, an increase of oats in other parts of the pire numbered 347,492, an 32,152. [roups in foreign countries For a total of 3338 Scouts, 3445 the previous year, a >ta3s for Great Britain and outs in England- numbered against 360,726 in 1930, an 15,938. oove British Empire totals, r (junior Boy Scouts) acor 251,022, llover Scouts id over) numbered 47,211, 6001, and Rover Sea Scouts Dqep; Sea Scouts Ysenfnring t) numbered 1034. nearly year's figure of 520.