BOY SCOUTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1937, Page 16

BOY SCOUTS

THE ANNUAL MEETING

INCREASE OF NEARLY 90,000

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, January 30. In the absence of. the Chief Scout, who is on his way to India to attend the All-India Scout Jamboree at Delhi, Lord Hampton, Chief Commissioner, presided yesterday over the annual general meeting of the Boy Scouts Association held at the Imperial Headquarters, in Buckingham Palace Road. Messages were read from the Chief Scout and H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught. The Duke hoped that this country would be able to send 8000 boys to the World Jamboree to be held in Holland next August. .'. ... It was reported that the council had lost three highly-valued members, Admiral of the Fleet Earl Jellicoe, the Rev.' J. H. Bateson, and Mr. Rudyard Kipling. The following were elected to fill the vacancies in'the council: "Sir Phillip Game, Mr. F. O. Paul, Mr. G. M. Carter, and Mr. A. R. Wagg. The total number of Scouts (at the close of the Scout, year, 1936) .existing in the 49 countries recognised by the International Committee was reported as 2,592,832, an increase -of 86,889 on the world total for 1935. Scouts in the British Empire were given as numbering 1,011,936, an increase of 72,717 over the total for 1935. The British Isles were reported as having decreased 2985, with a total of 445,411. _ ... . Scouts in other parts of the British Empire 'numbered 63,738, an increase of 75,651. ' ■ . ■British groups in 'foreign countries accounted for a total of 2787, as against 2736 in 1935. _ _ Of the totals for Great Britain and Ireland, Scouts in England numbered 365 249, as against 366,736 in 1935, a decrease of 1487. Scotland showed a total of 55,995,-as against 56,674, a decrease of 679; Wales, a total of 15,066, a decrease' of 602- on the previous year's figure of 15,668; Ulster revealed a decrease of 96 on the previous year s figures of 7194, with a total for 1936 of 7098, and the Irish Free State had decreased by 121 on the previous year s figures of 2124 with a total of 2003. There were 40,543 warranted Scout workers in actual work with Scout groups. The number of Commissioners of all ranks showed 2619, and the number of local association officials ana other county "officers 20,798.' * __■" . Financial difficulties facing the movement, were mentioned by Sir James Leigh-Wood, treasurer of the Council of the Association.,-He stated that the association was living on its capital. The position was most serious. The report and accounts showed an excess of expenditure over income of £8225, due to the great expansion of the movement. It was impossible to see. how economies could be made without that work suffering.