SCOOT NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 121, 28 November 1928, Page 17

SCOOT NOTES

(By "Rover.")

The following is an extract from the annual report, Dominion Scouts. There are now 266 Scout troops, 170 Wolf Cub packs, 14 Sea Scout companies, and 2 Kover crews this year, as against 237, 142, 8, and 3 respectively last year. Tho distribution of Scouts throughout Now Zealand is also interesting. The four city centres ac-. count for: Auckland 1706, Wellington 2468, Clirislchurch 537, Dunedin S4U; v total of 0860. The other districts, Bay of Islands. Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Eangitikei, Fcilding. iUauawatu, Nelson, Timaru, Oamarn, and Southland, in varying numbers from 70 to 400, total 3203. Forty-six line troops,-finding 1800, mako a grand total, all grades, for New Zealand of 11,043, an increase of 510 over last year. Now that the three study correspondence, Part 1., "Wood Badge," have been completed candidates are looking forward to Part 11., "Practical Gillwell" camp course. The New Zealand Header for the course, Silver Wolf Sanford, New Plymouth, expressed to our District Commissioner, Sir Alfred Eobiu, his satisfaction at the standard of replies from Wellington district in the Part 1., "Wood Badge," just completed. Scouters will be pleased to hear that our Commissioner, Sir Alfred Robin, will be soon actively with us once more. Camping time is approaching, and. with the Commissioner visiting our camps we have somethng to look forward to. A Scouters has written to me lately stating that there are a number of Scouts in Wellington who are not aware of the merits of a Thanks Badge. In the P.0.1t. it reads: "Thanks' Badge made up of the Swastika, with fluer-de-lys superimposed. It is the privilege of any Scout, of whatever rank, to present this badge of thanks to anyone who does a Scout a good turn, provided he first obtains the approval of his local association or Commissioner. It does not entitle the wearer to membership of the association." T would suggest that Scout readers of the column ask their Scoutmaster the significance of this badge and also what it looks like and where generally worn. The badge is probably the highest honour to confer on any supporter of the movement, and, any Scout seeing a wearer should immediately salute such person and ask if he can be of any assistance. At Carterton last Saturday evening the lately formed Wolf Cub pack held its first investiture ceremony before a number of parents, Brownies, and Scouters. The A.D.C.M., Miss Hubbard, aftsr apologising for the absence of the District Cubmaster (Mr. Bugg), who. although very anxious to conduct the ceremony could not manage to be present, gave a.brief outline of the Wolf Cub. movement. The Ipise ceremony and presentation of warrants to CM. Miss Every _nd her assistant Miss Liddel was postponed until the New Year, in hope that our Commissioner will be able to conduct the ceremony himself. After the Cubs were duly invested they spent a happy time, playing games, causing great excitement when competing against the Brownies. The annual meeting of the Poseneath Troop was held on Thursday, 15th November. The parents and friends of many of the boys were present. After roll call the troop, led' by P/L Pegram, gave tho Dominion haka, followed by a display !of Scout work, dealing mainly with Ambulance, artificial respiration, and signalling. Tho remainder of the Scout programme was supplied by holders of the Entertainer badge. Songs were contributed by Scouts A. Nolan and V. Middleton, and recitations were given by P/L Pegram, Second E. Hawthorne, and Scout W. Downes. The chairman of the Troop Committee, Mr. Pinnock, read the sheet, tendered by Mrs. Keay (treasurer), and the reports ot the year's work by the .committee .and the troop, tendered respectively by Mr.' Linekar (hon. secretary) and Mr. Middleton (Scoutmaster). He spoke of the wonderful work the Boy Scouts throughout the world were doing, and asked the parents for their help in all directions for their sons, and succeeded in forming a very promising committee for the new year. Afterwards he spoke to the_ Scouts, and complimented them on their keenness, smartness, and obedience and hoped: .that, .-they were .-.doing their.- , utmost in upholding, their threefold - promise—namely, to do their duty to Godand tho King, to" help other people at all times, and to obey the Scout law. Speaking for the committee, lie remarked how well the troop was progressing, as this year five boys had passed their King Scout and four more had received their first-class badges. Cheers were heartily given for the committee and Scoutmaster at the conclusion of a very pleasant evening. . . The Anglican Boys' Home, Lower Hutt, annual gift day takes place on Saturday, Ist December, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The officers and boys of the troop and pack hope for the pleasure of a visit from Scouters and others interested. During the afternoon there will'bo an investiture and presentation of badges and stars, as well' as other Scout and Cub activities. The cubs are challenging their elders to compete with them in . several competitions. On a recent holiday the troop went over to Wainui for the day. Owing to. the number able to go being less than anticipated the supply of sausages was somewhat excessive, to'the subsequent regret of one Scout, who apparently misinterpreted his duty in connection ,with the ninth Scout law. A flag raid through the swamp was very enjoyable, and returning through a pipe tunnel added a spice- of novelty and adventure. The pleasure, of tho outing was greatly enhanced by tho company of some officers mid patrol leaders of Ist Lower Hutt Troop. Once again don't forget Saturday, at 2 p.m., the Boys' Home, Lower Hutt, just beyond the V.I.C. bus stop, or three minutes' walk from Moiling Station. District Scoutmaster Nelson attended a good muster of Trentham Scouts last Friday. The early part of the evening was spent at Block House, not far from tho troop headquarters. When they arrived back D.S.M. Nelson gave a most interesting talk on camp life, finishing up with some new games. Some of the Scouts kept themselves busy during tlie latter part of the evening preparing their palliasses for camp. A list of camping requisites was given to each boy, so that from now to Christmas Trentham Scouts will be kept on the move hunting out their gear; Good camping Trentham. The Chief Scout, Sir Robert BadenPowell, has awarded the Silver Cross— the second highest award in the Scout movement—to Miss A. Wodehouse, Group Scoutmaster of the Ist Tenby Sea Scouts for her gallantry in rescuing a Rover Scout irom drowning in tho sea at Tenby. The Gilt Cross, the .next award iv order of merit, has been given to Scout James Cole for his assistance in the rescue. After Miss Wodehouse and Scout Cole had got the Rover Scout to shore they started artificial • respiration, exhausted as they were, but were subsequently relieved by patrol leaders of the troop. It was almost half an hour before the Rover Scuut regained consciousness. The Chief Scout has also awarded the Silver Cross to Sixer V. Cass, a Wolf Cub of eleven years of age, of the 2nd Romford Pack. While attending on a breakwater at Thorpe Bay

Cub Cass heard a scream, and turning round saw a boy struggling in Bft of water near by. Cub Cass jumped i", although quite unable to swim, caught tho boy by the collar, and pushed him on to the breakwater and then scrambled up himself. Almost immediately afterwards there was a cry that another boy was in the water, when Cass, returning, jumped in aud brought out the second boy safely. Scouters and Scouts are once.again, reminded that applications.:^ join the troop proceeding to England next.year -will close at Christchurch on Ist December.- No applications will be received after that-: dale. The applications must- be accompanied by a remittance of £15, which is tlio preliminary deposit required. ...by the shipping company, and each applicant who lias not already done so must supply tlie following information:—Full name; rank, unit to which he belongs, age, length of service, badges held, name and address of next-of-kin. This information should bo forwarded to tho district secretary not later, than Friday. Ngaio Troop are running a - concert on Saturday in aid of their troop funds. The annual competition for tho Rhodes Cup took place on Saturday night at the Drill Hall, when Messrs. • Dutton- mid Smith, of the St. John Ambulance Association, were the judges.1 The competition resulted as follows:—St. Augustine's (Pctone) Ist, St. Thomas's 2nd, Ist Lower Hutt 3rd. Now that the camping season is here all. troops are well under way with preliminary arrangements. As it is the desire .of our esteemed Commissioner to visit. as many camps as possible during the holidays, the following information : is required as early as possible:—The. location of the site and the best way to reach same, who will be the Scouter in .charge, and the names of his assistants. This latter information is required by the latest on Sth December, and should be sentdirect to -the secretary, Post Office Box; 624, Wellington. , Please forward notes on or before Monday of each week to Rover A. Meaehani, "Raumai," Humber street, Island Bay.