BOY SCOUTS

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21020, 23 November 1933, Page 7

BOY SCOUTS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION YEAR OF PROGRESS REVIEWED IN ANNUAL REPORT An increase of 664 of all ranks is noted in the annual report of the Boy Scouts' Association of New Zealand, which will be presented to the annual meeting in Christchurch today. It is considered remarkable that the movement should still show an increase ' in its membership in spite of the difficult times, and the optimistic reports received' from time to time from the various commissioners concerning the establishment of new groups would indicate that the movement is firmly established in New Zealand, the report states. The most notable increases in strength are in Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson, and Marlborough. The annual census shows that the movement has 378 groups, comprising 7255 scouts, 279 sea scouts, 4960 wolf cubs, 415 rover scouts, and 1243 officers, makin ga total of 14,152. The total number of all ranks m Auckland is 3045; in Wellington 2906, in Canterbury (estimate only) 1486, and in Otago 1163. Rover Scouting. The increase last year in the number oi' rover scouts does not appear to have been maintained. This is considered due to the difficulties of tr. i times, when many single young mei • of rover scout age are hard put to it to find employment which, normally, would tend to keep them definitely settled in one place. The association feels that the lack of leaders is also responsible, as, should men of the right type be available, the movement would offer good, inducement to young fellows to come in and be trained in the qualifications for service and citizenship. The ideals of rovering are so high that it is considered more satisfactory to proceed slowly along sound lines than to increase the numbers at the expense of efficiency. Training has again been given serious attention by many of the commissioners, the report says, and local courses have been successfully established with beneficial results. Weekend camps by troops of scouts, ana patrol hiking are increasing, and it is felt that scouters are giving better service, with a consequent ment in scouting practice, and in the training of the cub packs. Rovering is becoming slowly more popular.

/ Honours and Awards. The list of honours and awards for the year is as follows: Letter ol commendation: To wolt Cub Eric Albert Gibson, of the Makarewa Pack, Southland, for his promptitude in rescuing a cub from difficulties while bathing in the Makarewa river on May 7, 1932. Certificate of merit: Granted to Sea Scoutmaster R. McD. Brown, of the Endeavour Sea Scout Group, Timaru, for his excellent service to the sea scouts in Timaru during the last three years. >. Honorary medal of merit: Awards c£ the honorary medal of merit were made to Commissioner H. Christie, Wanganui, and District Scoutmaster T D Baker, of Gisborne, for thengood services to the scout movement. Two other noteworthy awards of the honorary medal of merit were made to the St. Augustine's Petone group, and the first Lower Hutt group in the Wellington -district, in recognition of the great advance and successful scout work accomplished by these I groups over periods covering nearly 20 years in each case Special awards for St. George s Day: The Empire list of special awards for St. George's Day by the Chief Scout (Lord Baden-Powell) contained the following New Zealand recognitions:—Honorary silver wolf to Major-General Sir Alfred W. Robin, acting-Melropolitan Commissioner for Wellington, for his most excellent services to the scout movement, and the silver medal (acorn) to Major W. E S. Furby, general secretary, New Zealand, for his valuable services to the scout movement. Lone Scouts. During the year the director of the Education Department's correspondence school agreed to circularise all pupils in back-country districts concerning their joining the scout movement as lone scouts, the report continues, the columns of the School Journal being used to enable a register to be taken. District Commissioner R. Nelson, of Petone, kindly offered to work in co-operation with the correspondence school authorities in an endeavour to help the boys willing to become scouts. The scheme is only in its initial stages at present, but as it is understood a similar scheme has worked successfully with the girl guides the association has hopes of equal success with the scouts. 1 In order to prevent overlapping, it has been decided that although lone scouts may be dealt with by Commissioner Nelson, all such scouts will be under the jurisdiction of the district commissioner in whose area they reside. Very encouraging reports have been received from all districts concerning the formation of groups of scouts among Roman Catholic boys, who are taking up scouting with enthusiasm. International Jamboree. The Dominion was not able to send a contingent to the international jamboree, held at Godollo in Hungary last August; but Scoutmaster G. I. Clark, | of St. Peter's group, Hamilton, Waikato, was enabled to make the journey, and became New Zealand's sole representative. By the courtesy of scout friends in Australia, Scoutmaster Clark was attached to the Australian contingent and participated in the Australians' tours of the continent and the United Kingdom. At the jamboree he marched past with the New Zealand flag in the procession of scouts and scouters representative of the British Empire. Scoutmaster Clark has written to Dominion headquarters expressing his delight and appreciation of everything he has seen overseas. The association is pleased to report that the inauguration of a founder's day service has been quite successful, and on February 26, the nearest Sunday to the birthday of the chief scout and founder (Lord Baden-Powell), combined services of boy scouts and girl guiles were held in many centres of the Dominion. Greetings cabled to the chief scout on the Sunday evening were gratefully acknowledged. Financial Fosition. The year was begun with a credit balance of assets over liabilities amounting to £1676 2s 3d, of which £1096 16s was cash in hand and on deposit, and it was concluded with a•: credit balance of £1437 6s lOd, of which £983 3s 9d was cash in hand and on deposit. This shows a deficit on the year's work of £238 15s sd, as against £568 13s 6d last year. The association is feeling the loss of the annual subsidy of. £ 1000, granted by the Government but withdrawn in 1929. Expenditure under all headings has been reduced to meet the decreased revenue, and it is regretted that plans for the extension of tne movement from Dominion headquarters have to remain in abeyance until the financial situation improves. The report concludes by expressing the thanks of the association to all who have assisted it during the year.