BOY SCOUTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 50, 3 December 1909, Page 5

BOY SCOUTS.

PATROLS FORMED IN BALCLUTHA,

Between 40 and 50 boys met in the Harvey Hall last craning to form a putrol of the Boy Scours in Balelutha. Mr B. T. Flening was in the chair, and sh»rt addresses were delivered by fti".:>s ' .'lies and Bradfield, organisers, sa;.d ' y Capt. Grigor, Mr McEirea, and others. Scoutmaster Middlemass, of the Kaitangata Patrol, was also present. About 40 boys were sworn in, the following being the officers :—Scoutmasters, Messrs] Robertson and Reid ; patrol leaders--. No. I—Chas. Ingram, "Kangaroo," red and grey. No." 2—Roy Pennycook, "'Lion," yellow and red ; No 3, It. Wood, "Stag," violet and black ; No. 4, I). Sawers, "Tiger," violet; No. 5, H. llolgate, "Wolf," yellow and black ; No. 6, E. Gilmour, "Stork," biuc and white. W. Currio was appointed Scrgt.-major. Scoutmaster Middlemass gave some interesting particulars of the Kaitangata Patrol. Votes 'of thanks closed a very successful meeting. Capt. Grigor kindly presented each patrol leader with a copy of the text book—General Baden-Powell's "Scouting for Boys."

THE KING'S INTEREST. B.P. COMPLIMENTS SCOTLAND. October 2 was a great day in Glasgow for the Boy Scouts of West Scotland. Thousands went to the Agricultural Show ground to witness the first annual inspection of the Boy Scouts in Scotland, and to sen General Baden-Powell, who was the inspecting olliccr. The Boy Scouts now number over 200,000, and of the Scottish members 5,600 were present, making in their picturesque uniforms l a gallant and impressive show. Of those on parade, 2,750 belonged to Glasgow, •100 came from Edinburgh, and contingents ranging from 20 to 200 came from various towns throughout Scotland. Under command of Scoutmaster Young, president of the first Glasgow troop, the boys went through a series of evolutions, in which they displayed great smartness. The latter part of the proceedings was unfortunately marred by rain. At the close, the company leaders were called together. General Baden-Powell addressed them, and asked them to convey what he said to their companies. Having expressed his satisfaction on the general smartness of the boys, he said they must remember that their scouting was not a playing game ; it was work as well as play. ■ By becoming scouts they were equipping themselves to serve their country later, and to join that great brotherhood which had been in existence for many hundreds' of years, from Raleigh "and Drake down to those Britons of. the present day who were carrying on the work of the Empire on the frontiers all over the world. In Scotland they appeared, from what he had seen, to be much more naturally scouts than in tho South. His experience in all -parts* of the world was that the Scotsmen were always in the front. He wasi not a Scotsman himself, but he wished he were. He always had a great admiration for Scotsmen, because he found _ them good fellows, and resourceful, able men. These were tho kind of men the scout movement aimed at producing. In conclusion, the general referred to the warm interest which the King took in the Bo v Scout movement, and said that,' by His) Majesty's command, he was going straight from Glasgow to see him at Balmoral, and report to hira about the movement.