SCOUTORAFT

Evening Star, Issue 16627, 9 January 1918, Page 8

SCOUTORAFT

+ [By Leader.] Reports of meetings and parades,\items of interest, or questions should be addressed ii> " Leader," c/o Y.M.C.A., Dunedin, before 6.30 on Monday of. each week. Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, shows his appreciation of the Boy Scout movement in the following passage:—"l have seen a good deal of the Scouts since! the Scout movement commenced in New Zealand, and I have been greatly impressed . with its usefulness. The boys are trained ito be alert and kindly. I have seen them doing work in connection with the departure of our Expeditionary Forces ,at our soldiers' clubs, and on othei occasions. I cannot over-estimate the value of such training for out yo.uth, and I hope the Scout movement will be extended and helped by all those who wish well to our Dominion." Now that the holidays are over, and we have started out on a new year.. I hope that the movement in Dunedin will go I ahead and spread to gTeater proportions | than ever. Scoutmasters ''are asked to i send in reports for'this column every week. > together with accounts of camps held during Christmas and New Year. All outstanding patrol levies and percentage of concert proceeds must be paid to the District Secretary as soon as possible. On Friday evening, the 13th December, 1917, the Ist Roslyn Troop concluded the year's work. By way of a change a mock trial was held, the " case" being that of the boy and the gipsy from 'Scouting for Boys.' As would be expected, the gipsy was found guilty. The whole procedure was run in a proper manner, and was as i instructive as it was entertaining. The i parts of Judge, Crown Prosecutor, counsel ' • for the defence, etc., were all handled by ' the Scouts, some of whom showed that ' they were not ignorant in law proceedings, j The following Tuesday evening- was spent in a Bocial form. Quite a pleasant time was spent in musical items and games of various kinds. Towards the end of the evening supper was disposed of,'after which the Scouts were dismissed for the holidays. ' Owing to the absence of the officers, the troop did not hold the customary Christmas camp. There are one or two vacancies for suitable lads in this troop. I The Anderson Bay Troop held their fin;?! ■ parade for last year on Friday, December 21. After the parade the Sc.nts held a social in the Presbyterian Hall in honor of Leader H. Duncan, who is shortly going to join the training ship Amoku'ra. The Ruest of the evening was' presented with a beautiful clasp-knife by his comrades, and in the course of a few suitable remarks the brigade chaplain, Rev. V. G. Brvan King referred to the splendid example Leader Duncan has always set, and wuhed him even- success in his new life Several musical items were rendered by Leader S. Ross mid Corporal" M. Harvey. At tho I close of the proceedings supper was pro- I vided, and. needless to say, this was heart- ! uy enjoyed by all present. Late Se.i ut- I master G-ore has shown his interest m <h- | troop by sending a donation to the trocp tunds from " somewhere in Fra ue " Amongst those who recei/jd the Victoria Cross from the King a short ti.-no ago wss an ex-Boy Scout, Second Lieutenant Regi- ! nald Haine, Honorable Artillerv Company He was formerly in the Petersn.im Si-tuth' and gained the King's Scout badgs vhile !uct , D J l ' ectl y war brok P out lie joined tho H.A.L. as a private, and bv ris good '! work soon got promotion, finally I.e. <m'i'g a sergeant-major, and at th« end rf 1910 was promoted to be second lieutenant. Ihe act of bravery for whirh he gained the V.C. was as foUow*.— Ho *as in charge of a party of men who were holding a dangerous trench n our line in France which projected in to the enemies' ground, and was constantly in danger of being cut off from our side Haiuo organised and led with utmost galb/ury no less than six different bombing ' attacks against the point where tho cii'imv wero strongly fortified, and jiu>v ail (Mese attempts ho succeeded in the end in capturing their position, together with 50 prisoners and two machine guns. After this the enemy- counter-attacked with a battihm of j the Prussian Guards, and at last succeeded m gaming the position and driving our men out. Second Lieutenant Haine ;it once formed a block in his trench, and for the v/hole of the following msjht keot his poeition against repeated atUcks by the Piussian Guard. In the earlv morning Me acain attacked, and not only captured the position again, but drove the enemy buck several hundred yards. T?w report savs that "throughout these operations ibis a'Hcet's superb courage, decision, and calm judgment were li-yond all praise, and it was his splendid peisonil examnle vi.ich inspired his men to continue their efforts cluring more than 33 hours of contu.ucus fighting."