SCOUT NOTES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 127, 23 February 1938, Page 5

SCOUT NOTES

Metropolitan Swimming Competition

‘MORE GALLANTRY (By I'EKAO.) On and after Tuesday, March 1, metropolitan headquarters will he situated in room 10, 3rd floor, Sussex Chambers, Panama Street. At the end of this week the camp in connection with the Catholic centennial celebrations will begin in Auckland. Catholic scouts, rovers, and scouters from all over New Zealand will be attending. Metropolitan Swimming Competition. No district elimination competitions will be held this year, but instead all troops, packs and crews are competing for a grand afternoon swimming carnival at Thomdon baths on Saturday, March 19. The programme has been enlarged, and in addition it is hoped that time will permit of some novelty events being added. The acting metropolitan commissioner is especially -anxious that all scouts, cubs and rovers should be present, even if they are not competing. Entries, which close at metropolitan headquarters on Friday, March 11, are limited to two scouts or cubs from any one troop or pack in any one event. No rover may enter for more than four individual events. The programme is as follows: — Rover events: 33 1-3 yards freestyle, 100 yards freestyle, 33 1-3 yards backstroke, 66 2-3 yards breaststroke, 33 1-3 yards relay, 33 1-3 yards undressing race, life saving, dive. Senior scout events: 33 1-3 yards freestyle, 66 2-3 yards free-. style, l 200 yards freestyle, 33 1-3 yards breaststroke, 33 1-3 yards backstroke, 33 1-3 yards relay, 33 1-3 yards dressed. Junior scout events: 33 1-3 yards freestyle, 100 yards freestyle, 33 1-3 yards breaststroke. 33 1-3 yards backstroke, 33 1-3 yards relay, 33 1-3 yards dressed. Cub events: 33 1-3 yards freestyle, across bath breaststroke, across bath backstroke, across bath relay, across bath freestyle (under 10 years). Towing race: Open to all seouts under 18 years of age. Patients to take up position opposite to-side, rescuer to dive in, swim across and tow by any method to starting point. Patient to be approximately same size as rescuer. This event is not included in the competition.

First Seatoun Group. The Scout Hall, Seatoun, was the scene of a very pleasant gathering when the committee of the Seatoun Boy Scouts’ Welfare Association held a farewell dance in honour of Mr. G. Dawson, who is shortly leaving New Zealand for the Duntroon Military College in Australia. Mr. M. G. C. MeCaul. chairman of the group, expressed the wish of all present that Mr. Dawson would be successful in his studies overseas. More Gallant Scouts. Patrol-Leader William Dawe, aged 15, of the First Hereford Group, England, has been awarded the Silver Cross by the Boy Scouts’ Association in recognition of his gallantry in rescuing a soldier from drowning in the River Wye at Bartasham. A punt which, was conveying passengers across the river overturned and the occupants were thrown into the water. The swimming attendant of Bartasham Bathing Station, Mr. H. R. Bythell, was able to rescue two people, but the third, a soldier in uniform, sank to the bottom. Patrol-Leader Dawe swam to the spot and dived for the soldier. He found him, but a struggle took place under the water. Dawe was able to break away, dived again, and this time brought him to the surface and swam with Elm to the bank: The soldier lost consciousness and Dawe carried out resuscitation until the arrival of .the ambulance. The Gilt Cross for Gallantry has been awarded to Patrol-Leader B. Orton, aged IS, of the Fifth Loughborough (First Shelthorpe) Group, for rescuing a child from drowning in the River Soar at Stanford-on-Soar. Orton had just returned home from holiday and was leaving to take tea with his mother on the banks of the River Soar when a boy in swimming costume ran up to them shout-

ing “There’s a girl in the water. Patrol- • Leader Orton hurried to the spot and dived fully dressed into the water. Although the current was strong he brought the child to safety.