TRAINING YOUTH LEADERS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24445, 20 December 1944, Page 6

TRAINING YOUTH LEADERS

,—-f . ■ NEW DEPARTMENT OF SCOUTING (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 19.. A new department of scouting in New Zealand, intended for training youth leaders, will come into operation on January 1, 1945. It will be called the Sargood training plan, the trustees of the Sargood-Trust having made £2OOO available as an immediate subsidy. This was announced by the Dominion Chief Commissioner, Mr Hector Christie, of Wanganui, in reporting on a decision reached at a recent Dominion executive, meeting. Mr Christie said at the meeting that there was a great need to train youth leaders. . The Scout movement already possessed facilities for this purpose, of which the new plan would be an extension. For the specific object of training- leaders they had a training ground, “Tatum,” near Levin, a New Zealand training team under the trainings commissioner, Mr J. R. Cooksey, and in addition there were more than 1300' scoutmasters and cubmasters giving their time and energy to the service of youth. The new plan would provide for the training of all scouts, the setting-up of a special training secretariat away from Dominion headquarters, and field commissioners to act under the direction of the training commissioner. There would be an extension to permit scouters being assisted with their expenses in travelling to the training centre. „ , . The late Sir James Grose, as chairman of . the finance committee, had given the plan his full endorsement. Mr Cooksey and Sir Joseph Smith, of Auckland, also spoke in favour of the plan. Mr D. A. Eweri, a trustee of the Sargood Trust, said he was so. well impressed that he had communicated with his co-trustees in Dunedin and Auckland, and they agreed to offer £2OOO as an immediate subsidy. The plan was adopted on the motion of Sir Joseph Ward, Christchurch.