3000 Scouts At Dunedin Jamboree

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29715, 8 January 1962, Page 12

3000 Scouts At Dunedin Jamboree

(New Zeeland Press Association)

DUNEDIN, January 7.

Three thousand Scoutg seated in a huge horse-shoe formation in the lush green hollow of the Silverstream valley, heard the Governor-General (Lord Cobham) open the 1962 New Zealand first class jamboree on Saturday.

About 1500 visitors packed the arena at the Walora Scout Camp to watch the ceremony. The Governor-Gener.al, in the uniform of Dominion Chief Scout, took the salute at a march past of contingents from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Western Samoa, Fiji, the Philippines, and the standard parties of troops from throughout New Zealand. The opening day of the jamboree had dawned cold but fair after a night of heavy rain. Scouts in the six sub-camps awoke to find their camps litUe affected by the rain. One or two tents sprang leaks during the night, but their occupant* were soon moved to drier quarters. Some overseas scouts who were feeling the cold were issued with extra blankets. Visitors were admitted to the camp from 1.30 p.m„ and a big crowd was waiting in the arena to watch the scouts march in from their subcamp*.

At 3.30 p.m. the GovernorGeneral, accompanied by Mr S. Field, the Chief Commis-

sioner for New Zealand, and the camp chief (Mr J. B. Mackie) arrived in an open utility vehicle. They mounted th* dais to join the remainder of the official party which included Mr J. B. Gordon, M.P., representing the Government; the Mayor (Mr T. K. S. Sidey) and Mrs Sidey, who is Girl Guide commissioner for Otago; Mr K McDonald, Mayor of Mosgiei, Messrs J. J. Jones and A. T. Roas, Taleri County Council; and Sir H. B. Reyes, a member of the World Council of the Boy Scouts. Mr Mackie welcomed scout* and visitors and extended a special welcome to overseas scout*. He paid tribute to the farsighted men who 14 years ago, acquired the Walora camp. It was unique, he said, to hold a jamboree of this size on property whose freehold was vested in the scout movement. On behalf of the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) and the Government, Mr Gordon paid a tribute to the people who organised and who were running the jamboree. He hoped the boy* would take away with them the memory of a week well spent.