WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26515, 1 September 1951, Page 3

WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE

N.Z. CONTINGENT IN LONDON

SUCCESS OF VISIT TO AUSTRIA

(Bu NEVILE WEBBER. London Corropondent ot “The Press”) LONDON. August 17. “The jamboree was not a spectacular success, but rather a quiet, solid one.' said Commissioner F. J. L. Turner, of Fairlie, who led the New Zealand contingent at the seventh World Boy Scout Jamboree, when he arrived in London last night from Austria. The New Zealand contingent comprised 38 members.

and simplicity were the keynote of the jamboree.” said Mr Turner. “It was in no way regimented. and there were no directions to ‘do this' or ‘do that.’

“There were no restrictions on freedom of movement or on the people to whom one could speak. Here the spirit was a spontaneous one coming from the boys themselves. There was no imposed leadership. There was no organised blowing of whistles and rhythmic clapping and so on. In all these ways it was in direct contrast to the hysterical Communist peac* rally held a few hundred miles to the north in Berlin.” Mr Turner said that 13,000 boys from 61 nations had attended the 10day jamboree. All mixed together in friendship. They discussed problems, customs, and mutual interests, and exchanged numberless addresses and mementoes.

Unfortunately the weather during the jamboree was bad, and the camp became a sea of mud after severe thunderstorms. To nuke matters worse, the tents and equipment of the New Zealand contingent went astray, and the New Zealanders arrived at the camp without a covering for their heads. However, the Australian and English scouts soon had them billeted ana fed.

Tribute to Austrians “Although the organisation and arrangements were not the best, we are all very pleased with the magnificent efforts of the’ Austrians," said Mr Turner. “In the present state of the country, the running of such a big undertaking was an immense order. We feel, however, that it has given the Austrians a big boost to their morale." Mr Turner said he had been very pleased with the showing of his 38 New Zealand scouts. They were all King's Scouts or First Class scouts between the ages of 15 and 17, and were chosen from all parts of the Dominion. The cost of the trip for each scout was £270. Mr Turner said that all the New Zealand scouts had taken Maori piu piu mats with them, and by the time they reached Austria, all had carved taiahas (Maori spears) and many had meres, too. He himself had a magnificent taiaha lent to him by the Canterbury Museum. Each boy wore a woggle (scarf slide) made from deerhorn and carved in the shape of a kiwi.

The New Zealanders' present headquarters is at GilwelL near London. The party will now split up for tours throughout Britain, before leaving for Sydney late in September.