GUIDE RALLY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12735, 16 December 1935, Page 7

GUIDE RALLY

SPECTACULAR SCENES AT RESERVE,

LARGE CROWD PRESENT

Very spectacular scenes were presented to a large attendance of the public at Childers road reserve on Saturday, when the Poverty Bay provincial rally of Girl Guides was held. Much excellent work was demonstrated and the organisations benefitting, the Girl Guide provincial fund, the St. John Ambulance, Crippled Chib biren fund, health stamp campaign and Rlunket Society, should each receive substantial, help. Assisting the Guides and Brownies were the W.C.E.F.R. Band, which supplied incidental music, Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs, St. John Ambulance members (in charge of gates and; selling programmes) and Miss Mildred Hamilton’s minuet party.

A disappointing feature was th e unavoidable absence, of the chief commissioner,- Miss It. Herrick, through a family accident. Her place was taken throughout bv the Poverty Bay provincial commissioner, Mrs L. Balfour, while others present were Mrs G. Blackburn (Poverty Bay divisional commissioner), Mrs. J. Andrew (Gisborne district commissioner), Mrs. J. G. Appleton (To Karaka district commissioner) and Miss Mcßae (Wairoa district commissioner). The deputy Mayor, Cr If. Holmes, and Mrs Holmes, anti the Mayor of Wairoa, Mr. H. L. Harker, and Mrs Marker, were also present.

Those taking part in theprogramme included! the following:— Ranger Companies.— 'To Karaka Ranger and S.R.S., Endeavour. Guide Companies. —First Gisborne, Second Gisborne (St "Winifred's), Third Gisborne (Mangapapa), Fourth Gisborne (Te Hap a r a), -Manutuko, Muriwai, Patutahi, Te Karaka, Tolaga Bay, Frasertown, and Wairoa. Brownie Packs.—First Gisborne, Second' Gisborne, Mangapapa,. Te Hapara Manutuke, Patutahi. To Karaka, and Rub a. Scout Troops.—-Mangapapa and Y.M.C.A. Cub Packs. —Mangapapa, Y.M.C.A., and Methodist.

Proceedings opened with a combined parade of all troops taking part, then the breaking of the Colors and cheers for the provincial commissioner.. The marching was excellent and! the splendid way in which the Guides and Scouts were turned out evoked enthusiastic applause. The parade finished up in formation representing three sides of a square.

Next came a display by the Brownies, nearly 100 of them, who acted a delightful story. A cottage was shown in a forest of younrr trees and a gnome, demonstrated that Brownies n elver take payment for services rendered. A little girl is sent to obtain advice from the Wise Owl as to how she may become a Brownie andt eventually .finds the way, with gay revels bv the wrole gathering following.. Demonstrations of the requirements .for various proficiency badges were given by the Guides, these creating much interest and fun, since, for instance, live poultry . were used for the poultry farmer tests, washing was hung on a line by the laundresses, Maoris demonstrated the ppi Gance, cyclists repaired punctures, etc.

The Wolf Cubs then gave the Grand Howl, “Akela, we’ll do our best,” followed by a display of semaphore signaling, much clever work agaiin being shown.

OLD WORLD GARDEN

“The Enchanted Old AVorld Garden,” specially arranged. by. Mrs. Balfour, was outstandingly spectacular. Guides and Brownies attired in green and each made up as a flower filed on to the ground and arranged themselves as a garden, with the assistance of flower-covered trellis work, and other flowers. Sunflowers, hollyhocks, arum lilies, delphiniums, poppies, geraniums, and duffodils were among the few varieties brilliantly shown and the completed picture was truly beautiful. Miss Mildred Hamilton’s party of 12 crinoline be-wigged and patched ladies then entered the garden and danced the minuet with consummate grace and artistry. The Lady of the Garden then sent her page to invite the commissioner to Visit the scene of “beauty, accompanied by Mesdames H. Holmes and H. L. Harker, then came down and received bouquets picked' from the garden, while they were again cheer ed.

Boy Scouts then attended to an accident case, the patient being Anally carried away on a stretcher, and also very smartly constructed a suspension bridge from cords and staves. Another very spectacular number followed, this being the International pageant. Guides in the appropriate national costume 'and bearing the flag of the particular nation, marched in to form'part of a living trefoil, aboutthe international flag, with the base of the display a line of Guides bearing the 10 laws of Guiding and Scouting. The countries represented included the following: Belgium, Denmark, China, Czecho-Slovakia, France Great Britain, Ireland, India, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand (Maori). Norway. Poland, Suomi-Finland. Sweden, Swizerland, and the United States. Prominent in the parade were knights on chargers, Mrs H. R. Williams -and Miss Margaret Sherratt. “Peace” advanced and placed a- laurel wreath about the World flag and a salute was given to those carrying the insignia, of the 10 laws.

Next followed the march up of the Scouts and Guides, who. then arranged themselves in horseshoe, formation Cubs and Brownies trotted into tho centre and arranged themselves inside the Guides and Scouts. Mrs Balfour and the Scout- Commissioner, Dr. W. A. Bowie, then enlined and took the salute. This grand parade marked the close- of the actual play.The deputy-Mayor briefly addressed the gathering, 'apologising for the unavoidable absence of Miss. Herrick and the Mayor (Mr D. W. Coleman, M-P.) He was sure that hac! Miss Herrick been present she would have been highly gratified to- see such an inspiring spectacle and illustration of the splendid progress of the movement- It was a great pleasure to see such a demonstration and all would agree that Miss Herrick’s missing it was as great a misfortune to her as her absence was to the gathering. Mrs Balfour also addressed the parade, congratulating them on the wonderful display. By the comments she had heard it had proved highly enjoyable to the spectators and would undoubtedly give Guiding m this dis-

trict a great- impetus. She concluded by wishing them all the very best luck in the- future.

On the call of the deputy-Mayor, three cheers were given for the Guides, Scouts, Cubs and Brownie-s, also for the provincial commissioner, the visitors and the -Band, which had given invaluable service.