SCOUT NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 117, 13 November 1929, Page 20

SCOUT NOTES

:(By 8.A.M.)

I The" annual report of the district, which was presented at the annual general meeting las4rt;week, ..contains some most interesting 1, information. Since 1924, when the Commissioner (Sir Alfred Robin) was ap.pointed ithere:has been a steady increase in: the number of Cub packs, Sea Scout companjes, and Scout, troops, and to-day the total of all grades in .Wellington area i 5.2623. This great increase in numbers has'.fiecessitated the reorganisation- of the district into five , sub-districts under" the Metropolitan Commissioner and the Commissioners for each district.

The 21st Jamboree Rally was a credit to all concerned, and should be kept in mind as an example when the great Chief Scout visits the Dominion early in 1931. Special thanks are due to the members of the Rotary Club for their practical interest in the movement and their visits to troops during the year. The Toe <S and League of Frontiersmen are to be thanked for their great interest, and to the superintendent of the Fire Brigade and his men thanks are due for the interest taken in the boys and the instructing of them for their badges. The training of Scouters in \ both the wood: badge; camp and the "Akela" camp reached a high-water mark, and is a most hopeful sign. The reports of districts show that steady progress lias been made in every direction.

''Second-mate Gardiner/-of the Port Nicholson Sea Scouts was presented with his warrant last week, and Commisisbner Young,- R.N., invested three greenhorns into their crews.. A large number of parents and supporters were interested spectators of the-ceremony, and the various games played. Group Scoutmaster Evins, from Manchester, was a welcome 'visitor. Seamaster Perry and his mates are to be complimented on the progress of this company, as well as on the state of the Sea Wolfs of Port Nicholson.

Our sympathies are with the Island Bay Troop in their difficulty, of finding a meeting place. Surely with several church halls nearby they might be accommodated until permanent arrangements are made. The annual' competitions were finished last Saturday afternoon.. It is noted with great satisfaction'that a squad from the Carterton Troop-journed to Wellington; it promises well for future contests, Kilbirnie wonthe semaphore signalling, with St. Augustine second, and Carterton third. The Morse signalling- was. won :by the St. Augustine Troop, and Lower Hutt carried off the physical drill and inarching. The thanks of the.district are due .to Ser-geant-Major Barked and Lieutenant Finlay- ' son ior judging the events. •. . . The Rovers hold a welcome home to the Jamboree party on Sat<irday>;night, as well as an Ipise and investiture ceremony.

j A public meeting" to form a'troop at Moera is called-:fbr 19th November. ' The Island Bay Baptist Troop hold an investiture and presentation of. warrants the same night^ The Kilbirnie Troop'hold a parents' night on the-20th, when the cup for signalling won last Saturday will prove a centre of attraction.

Last the Ngaio Scout Troop and Cub Pack held a parents' evening and pound night in the Ngaio Town Hall, 65 boys being present, and a really good attendance of parents. The Commissioner (Captain V. JohaJiseu) "presented proficiency: badges to the Scouts and addressed the meeting, as also did Mr. Colpus, troop ch'airmaß. .^Qn 30th November the troop is to holdi.-a.^'concert, proceeds in aid of troop fundsi The. mid-week meeting will be held this: Wednesday. at 7 p.m. at the school, and*;"thei'parade on Friday at the ■same hour. Last Saturday afternoon the Ngaios attacked the'; Kaiwaf ras at their stronghold at the top of the .hill in mal Scouting fashion, the Kgaios advancing and engaging the Kaiwarras in friendly "battle," 'taking"'.several scalps. Cheers were given by each-tribe at the conclusion of hostilities, and all are looking forward to .the next raid, when, the.! Kaiwarras attack the Ngaios. ■ . The St. James's Troop report that the. following badges have been gained:—Pifteen second-class, P/L's Walker and Reid, cyclists; P/L H. Greer, Swimmer.. Cooking, signalling, and tracking have engaged the boys during the past two Saturday afternoons. At a social evening held last [Wednesday the sum of £10 was raised toward taking fourteen of the Presbyterian Home boys-to camp at Otaki.

Last Labour Day the Karori Cubs. in charge of the Scoutmaster and Assißtant-Cubmaster,.: -. to "the number of twenty, .went : for an all- | day outingi back ..over the hills •to Sky Farm* Leaving the Scout Hall at 10' aim., with equipment in the way of billies, poles; i and provisions, a halt was made at the foot of the hill for lunch, and while the billies.-boiled' the Cubs rumaged amongst the rocks in thfe stream for eels and crawlies, the latter making,, a relish for lunch. Following lunch, a way. was made up through thfc, bush on to the old road to the!; farm, from which an excellent view of theiwhole of^the surroundings of Wei-: lington1 and Petpne was obtained,' as well as the(,South Island in the distance.- The aseenti.was well"woi-th.r.the trouble. On the: way home, despite the strenuous1 and exciting day's outing, various observation games .were played. ■'": "■'. ' • ' The'jJXelburn Troop held an outdoor paradejrlast Saturday afternoon to South Karorir.fqr the purpose-; of practical'instructio)a in fire-ligTbiting and cooking. The strongs yrind ,jnade-- the former a matter o£ diifiMiltyjV biii.tljeveral Scouts passed their->test; pTMe trorqp is making steady progress:; wi|th. second-class work, and all Scouts should be past this test by ChristmaS. Ins'iuture each*patrol will specialise .in'.onq badge for a period of three month?;- so that all Scouts will have an equal-opportunity to pass badges. In addition to the usual Scouting work boxing and'physical drill will form part of the training, and it,:js intended to start Saturday evening meetings, run by : the Scouts, themselves,: '■'■'■ '■.'. "* jEhe J.arnboree'has come and gone, and by'-the tiihe these;notes are in print the contingent "vijhicn'. ssto t nobly represented New Zealand at that great world gathering of. Scouts-."will have set foot on its homeland.. What wonderful experiences these '-Scouts of purs will be able to relate in connection,witli their>six months' tour abroad^', wS • with -what rapt. attention willvthe/iScoiits who were not so fortu■hate\*be j;ible,to glisten as they sit round the -'ca'mpyi fires this coming Christmas time. Ouri'^couts: went overseas as ambassadors .. of.VNew Zealand, and just in so far .as ,thSy.;'give of themselves in the furtherance! "of" Scouting in New Zealand wiirthey,;be measured in the future. The Britmh/JEmpire'provided some 1900 Scouts, drawn fropi thirty-two different parts, fine material vimbued with high Scout ideals and a credit; to the Imperial brotherhood. AH showed that the standard o£ Scouting had gone up, and one seemed to sense this in connection with the development of the training of Scouters. The Overseas Com-1 tnissioner gave emphatic expression to the pride that he, in the Old Country, felt in_ this proof of oversea solidarity underlying the widest differences in race and creed and characteristics, but it was a source of special satisfaction that he could.feel that our visitors would return to their own places determined to make Scouting stronger than ever, not only, or perhaps at all, in point of numbers, but in that spirit of tolerance and self-sacrifice [.which: will build, a new and happier world on the . broken and cracked foundations laid by'the late war. ' -,