SCOUT NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 26, 1 February 1933, Page 14

SCOUT NOTES

(By "Scouter.")

It is proposed to hold a conference of D.S.H.'e, D.C.M.'s, and district secretaries on Saturday, 11th February, at Scout headquarters at 2 p.m. Will.all these officers please make a special effort to attend. As most Scouters have at some time or other to make sketches o£ various things, it is proposed to hold a class at headquarters provided a sufficient number of Scouters are prepared to join up. Please notify the metropolitan secretary. Scouters who are willing to join a Maori language class are requested to notify Mrs. Hoggard, D.C.M., 225, High street, Lower Hutt. ■ . - ■'

One of our G.S.M.'s writes' in reference to week-end camps arid hiking generally; He emphasises a danger that has come to his notice lately, that of making the hikes too strenuous. It should be remembered, he says, that the' boys in our troops are at the stage of rapid growth and development, and for this they need a considerable part o£ their available physical strength. 'There are two serious objections to the,-long-distance hike for boys of Scout age, when it involves' heavy pack-carrying: (1) While a strong young Scout may, be quite capable of carrying a pack over the hills to the Orongorongp, for example, for an extended week-end hike, it may be causing overstrain, which will not show at the time. (2) The job vt carrying a heavy pack, and tramping with it a long distance over difficult country will' effectively prevent the boy from appreciating the beauties of the country he passes through, .the varieties of bird life, trees, etc. "We have close at hand some wonderful bush and hill country, ideal for all kinds of Scouting activities. There is no need to drag our boys out to the distant spots. That can come later. I am afraid that boys who' go on long and arduous tramps of this kind get a wrong impression of real hiking. They think of it as frightfully hard and strenuous work. After all, the main object of the week-end hiMe or camp is to get away from the rush and noise of the city into the peace and beauty of the countryside, where our boys, free from the restrictions of the city, can "enjoy a more natural and healthy environment, where they can learn nature lore, and gradually I come to appreciate the beauty of trees and hills and creeks, and enjoy the songs of I the birds. The hike which is a rush to get to a distant spot and back misses all •that. ■ . ; ■ •: . . ... ■

The Collingwood Sea Scouts went to Aelson'for their Christmas camp on- the invitation-'of the "Iron Dukes." The camp site was excellent. The weather could not hate been better, and the "Iron Dukes know how to run a good camp.The site was close to the water and in a sheltered position. There were several cruises in the cutter, and some journeys overland," including a visit to a raspberry orchard. The Scouts returned brown and happy after ten days of excellent fun; The Cubs were "at Otaki for two weeks. They spent a happy time, and judging by their brown, healthy appearance,' a beneficial one. Mr. Lawton and Mr. Barber ha»their warrants presented at our final meeting last year as First Mate and Cubmaster respectively. ; ' Dominion headquarters in December last invited all Scouts and Guides to co-operate in- holding "Founder's Day services" on Sunday, 26th February, on similar lines to that held >on 21st February in the Christchurch Cathedral'last year. The idea of .the. Chief Commissioner is to hold this annual service on the Sunday nearest to the birthdays of the Chief Scout and Chief, Guide, iord R. S. Baden Powell and Lady Baden Powell; District Commissioners not in possession' of the Chief Commissioner's suggestions as to the order of service can obtain these from the metropolitan secretary. " : ." " Visitors at Scout headquarters last week included Mr. Chas^ L. Allen, a. Scoutmaster from, London. Mr. Allen is on his way to Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, being on exchange with a New Zealand schoolmaster for twelve months. He is'keenly interested in the Rover organisation. We hope, and our hope is shared by Mr. Allen, that he will be able to visit the Wirihana Wolf Cub and the Butterfly Creek Wood Badge courses during Easter week. - A party of English public school boys will arrive in Wellington about the middle of February. A Scoutmaster and five Scouts are included in the party. They are anxious to meet Wellington Scouts. What about showing them some of the Scout dens, with perhaps a camp fire chat on the; afternoon and eveningof, say, 16th February. '...".

The schools reopen to-day, and regular Scout and Wolf Cub meetings should be resumed. Rally on your leaders, and make 'a determined effort to make yours the best troop or, pack in the metropolitan area. Scouters, consult with your District Commissioners and see if you cannot make 1933 a year'of progress. Brooklyn Scouts and Cube are asked to note that the first, meeting for Scouts is on Thursday, (to-morrow), and for. Cubs | next Wednesday, 8th1 February/ , Now, boys, you have built your coil. Mount it' lengthwise 6n the baseboard, which should be 6in square and %in thick, by means of a thin strip" of wood passed through the coil and fixed with a screw at each end. You will want four terminals, which screw into baseboard about half an inch from the back, two at each end, about one''inch apart. 'You will also want a piece of three-ply wood 6in square and. 3-16 in thick for your front panel, one .0005 variable condenser, one crystal detector of the 'semi-permanent type. - On the three-ply, panel mount" your variable condenser about halfway up and near to the left hand side. ' Your crystal- is then mounted on the panel higher up near the opposite side.; You can' also, if "you prefer it, mount. tw>o. of your terminals (telephone type)l on the panel opposite the detector; Now for the wiring. The "two ends' of -the, twelve-turn coil go to the two terminals on the left hand of the baseboard, one toi which is connected to your'aerial; and.the: other to earth. The end ,of the"fifty-turn coil; on the same" side-as' your aerial connection, goes to the moving vanes of your, variable condenser, the" tapping goes to the right hand side of your detector (that will be the end which has the regulating screw), the other end of the fifty-turn coil goes to the fixed vanes of your variable condenser, and halfway scrape off the insulation and join on another piece of wire which you will connect to the left hand terminal on the panel (this is one of your telephone terminal connections). The free end of the detector you now connect to the other telephone, terminal. You then connect the ends of your telephone wireal on to these two terminals, put on ; the telephones, and listen. Screw in the plunger of tlie detector until the crystals touch lightly.' If you hear nothing turn the knob of the condenser slowly backward and forward. At one spot a station will be heard. Tune it in by gently turning the knob. You will probably have to keep on trying alterations in the setting of your detector until you find the most sensitive spot, and then you can settle down to the enjoyment of the programmes you -pick up ■ from the air. ..

Note for all troops: You will soon be commencing your year's work. How about sending an entry in for the camp craft competition to be held at Butterfly Creek at Eastertime? We would like to see a good number of patrols competing this year, and you swimmers, don't forget the swimming .competition at the' RiddiVird Baths, Lower Hutt, on Ist March.