SCOUT NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 175, 21 April 1937, Page 18

SCOUT NOTES

Change of Dominion Headquarters ANZAC DAY PARADE Overseas Visitors to Terrace Troop (By Grey Wolf.) The unanimous decision of the Dorninion council to shift the Dominion Headquarters Office to Wellington will meet with universal approval. As this change will mean much reorganisation and in view of his being stationed in Christchurch, Colonel P. C. Fenwick tendered his resignation as Dominion Chief Commissioner. Unfortunately, Colonel Fenwick was in Australia attending the cancer research conference and so was prevented from being present. In order, to facilitate the change of location, and with the object of ensuring that no drift would set in through any temporary lack of leadership, Metropolitan Commissioner Hector Christie, H.M.M., of Wanganui, has been appointed acting-Dominion Chief Commissioner. Some fourteen rears ago Mr. Christie was appointed District Commissioner for the XX anganui area, and it has been under his guidance that the strength of the district has increased from well under a hundred to little short of a thousand. In recognition of his valued services to the movement, Commissioner Christie was some time ago awarded the Imperial . Headquarters Honorary Medal of Merit. An entirely new Dominion executive has been elected, consisting of Air Marshall Sir Robert Clark-Hall K.BE, C.M.G., D.S.O. (Christchurch) ; Sir Percy Sargood and Mr. J. L. Passmore (Dunedin) ; Miss N Wilson; (Bulls); Commissioners J. Vogel (Hutt Valley), A Service (Auckland), E. J. Cooksey (Napier) and F. W. Horner (Hawera). Sir Robert Clark-Hall retains the position of Headquarters Commissioner for rover scouts, while Commissioner Cooksey, or “Littlejohn” as he is better known, has been appointed acting-leader of the training team.' The inclusion of these two should lend a power of strength to the executive. . The South Island delegates will visit Wellington regularly and so woll be in constant touch with headquarters. Anzac Day Parade.

The First Wellington City Rover Scout crew invites all Rovers to take part in their Anzac Day parade on Sunday, April 25. Rovers will assemble at the den, Willis Street, at 7.45 a.m., and proceed at 7.59 to the Cenotaph, where a brief service will be conducted by the Rev. A. Muriel, M.C. After the laying of the wreath Rovers will march back to the den. Terrace Troop.

The Terrace Troop have been fortunate lately in twice having had a change from seeing only the face of the Scoutmaster. The first occasion was when the troop was visited by two EngJisn Scouts from the s.s. Port Dennison. These lads showed the troop a new way of letting off surplus energy, in the form of “British bull-dogs,” a game somewhat like “bar-the-door,” but rougher. To the troop’s amazement the visitors came out of it alive. _ „ The second visitor was Ron. Powell, a Scoutmaster from Second Lakemba Troop, Svduey, who was in Wellington on the H.M.A.S. Canberra. After a short y arn to the troop, .this Scouter started them on “corner ball,” a fast and interesting game, said to be very popular across the Tasman. St. Mark’s Pack.

The pack was pleased to receive a visit from “Rama” (Mr. E. Manthrope), of Timaru, recently. The fact that he had travelled from "Trentham to see them in action Was much appreciated by cubs and scouters. The boys much enjoyed the new version of the jungle dance, “Shere Kann and the Tabaqui,” which “Rama’ demonstrated, and hope that when he is next in Wellington he will come again and show them more tricks of the jungle trail. Till then they all wish him “a clear trail and good hunting.”

First Roseneath Troop. During a recent week-end an enjoyable camp was spent by the Ruru Patrol of the Ist Roseneath Troop under the leadership of Jack Houston at Mahira Bay camp site. The patrol arrived at 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon and set to work to assist in making various improvements to the camp site and began building the altar bench in the “Scouts Chapel.” After tea camp-fire ivas held on the plateau, Mr. E. Jenkins and Michael Markham being welcome guests. Next morning the patrol turned out for two “Baden-Powell” exercises and a two-minute trot, sharpening their appetites for breakfast. The day was quietly spent Yvith a “Scouts Own” in the chapel, a walk to the summit, a dip and badge instruction. St. Mary’s Troop paid a surprise visit to Mahira Bay and expressed their delight with the hut and the surrounding campsite.

Wadestown Group. The Wadestown Group will hold its annual meeting in the Parish Hall. Wadestown, on Wednesday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Parents and all interested in the movement are invited to attend.

Kelburn Crew Meeting. Lower Hutt Rovers were the guests o£ the Ist Kelburn crew last Friday evening at the Kelburn den, the main attraction being Major Edney, who spoke on the British Army. His talk dealt with many lesser-known facts about the Army, foremost among which was that the British Army is not an aggressive force, as is so often imagined. More is it like a police force, existing to safeguard British .interests. The speaker said that an Act of Parliament was needed every year before the Army was regarded as official, because once a year the Army ceased to exist officially, so ensuring that the people would never be in fear of a military dictatorship. This was a survival of the days when the Army was regarded with suspicion. Major Edney went on to say that the Army in Great Britain was a reserve force from which trainees were drawn to replace soldiers in the Colonial forces. It was interesting to hear of conditions on the North-Western Frontier, where a ) four-foot atone wall had to be built around the camp each night as a protection against sniping, which invariably punctuated the stillness of the evening. One Christmas Day a well-built but grimy native insisted on seeing the officer commanding such a camp. After much trouble he was allowed to see the O.C. This officer questioned the man, enquiring if he had been tiring on the camp the night before. The native not only affirmed this, but said that he was in charge of the sniping, and, pulling aside his jacket, displayed a large array of medals pinned to his singlet. It. transpired that thw chief was retired from the British Indian Army after many years of service, during which time be had served as a bodyguard to His Majesty the King. Now lie had gone back to his old tribe and, although receiving a pension from the Army sniped at it during the nightgiving his pension back in bullet form as it were. This and many more interesting anecdotes were included in the speech, which wm appreciated by an attentive audience. Another entertaining feature of the evening was moving pictures taken by “Aorangi” on his rounds of the .Easter camps. The Rovers were particularly interested in seeing themselves “on the screen” during the scenes taken at the Rover moot. Supper concluded a fraternal meeting.

Congratulations. Last Wednesday was a memorable occasion for the First Wellington city

Rover crew and First XVellington Ranger eonjpany. when the wedding of Lawrence Bridge, Rover leader, to Miss Mavis Andrews, took place at St. Paul’s ProCathedral. A guard of honour was formed by the Rovers, Rangers, and members of the Tararua Tramping Club, of which both are members. Social and Dance.

St. Cuthbert’s group committee organised a highly-successful social and dance in aid of group funds last week. The M.C.’s for the evening were Messrs. W. Cooper and J. M. Reilly. _ There were more than eighty present, including the Rev. Tooley, and representatives of St. Hilda’s, Island Bay Baptist, St. Anne's, St. Joseph’s, St. Francis de .Sales Basilica, and Trinity Methodist. Games, competitions and dancing, were entered into wholeheartedly, and items by the punils of Miss Hazel Martin and a recitation by Miss Guyton, who is St. Cuthbert’s future Brown Owl. were greatly appreciated. A motor-car competition was won by Miss B. Rochfort and Mr. Parnell, the lucky spot by Miss B. Laverick and partner, and the Monte Carlo by Miss P. Nolan and Mr. J. McDonald. Music was provided by Mrs. Alton and Messrs. Parnell and Potter, and supper was supplied by the group committee.

Roseneath Dance. All scouters and friends of the movement are invited to a dance to be held on the evening of May 1 at the Roseneath Scout Den. It is anticipated that the evening will be as happy and successful as its predecessors.