WORLD-WIDE SCOPE OF SCOT’S AND GUIDES

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1948, Page 4

WORLD-WIDE SCOPE OF SCOT’S AND GUIDES

Lady Baden-Fowell, C.8.E., Chief Guide, .Welcomed to Greymouth

An indication of the splendid work which the Boy Scout and Girl Guide Movements inrougnout the world are doing in assisting nations back to their feet alter arduous years of war was given by the World Cmef Guide, Lady Baden-Powell, C.8.E., to a packed assemblage at a civic reception in the Wesley Hall last evening. Lady Baden-Powell, whose late nusuanu was tne founder o.t the movements, is visiting the district in tne course of a Dominion wur. She was tendered a civic reception by ms wursmp, uh Mayor, Mr F. F. Boustridge, and in aauicmn a cordial weicome uy Mrs L. ocnaer, provincial commissioner of the Girl Guides on the West coast. Accompanying the cnief Guide was tne New. z,eaiand Commissioner, Miss nerrick, who was also extended a hearty welcome. Mr B. butnenanu. Country Commissioner, for the Boy scouts, welcomed the visitors on behalf of his movement, me mayor teierred to the history of scouting and guiding, and its genesis in the military experiences of the late Lord BadenPowell, the defender of Mafeking in the South African war. All recognised the unique character of Lady Baden-Powell’s inspiration for these world-wide movements in the sense that she was the widow of the founder, and that she was so worthy a successor m this remarkable campaign for the welfare of the rising generation. ■ . Speaking not only with fluency, but witn frequent tlasnes of eloquence, Lady Baden-Powell illustrated the international growth of guiding and scouting, which had its groups in the towns of almost every civilised country. Attached to no particular ciass, race, creed or colour, the movement had become world-wide. Although founded 41 years ago by an Englishman, the strongest uastion at the present time was perhaps in France. Ene had landed in France a few days before the war ended and at a rally in Paris she saw 40,000 girls and boys in uniform give a dispny when many of them had no means of getting to the meeting place out to walk. Bicycles had been stolen by the Germans and there was no petrol ration available. It was in France particularly that the need for something of a training movement for the young was recognised. The country nad been spin by tremendous upheavals in the gieat revolution of 1789 and again in 1906, and it was then recognised that the future strength of the country must lie with the younger generation. During the war the French movement. went underground and great work was done for Allied airmen shot down and for the resistance that generally was offered the occupier. The scouting ana guiding movements had not been disrupted but during tne war increased not only in numbers but in quality. Around the movementmoral for the people arose and they lived on waiting for the day when they would be free. L,ady Eaden-rowell said that when she visited Northern. France, AlsaceLorraine and Brittany, she found that the little groups were functioning in rneir towns aitnougn in many cases these had been destroyed by the war. the shelling of the Germans and of. the Ames. ’’However,” she said, “this was part of the price of liberation of Europe and the salvation of civilised countries.”

Although essentially for the purposes of peace the movement had had to be utilised in war. The chief guide cited some instances ot the scouting land guiding movement in Denmark and Norway during the occupation when in Denmark things were more plentiful and scouts there sent food m their less fortunate fellows. Regarding scouting and guiding in America the speaker said that this was in a very strong position. The Americans had been very ,vn<ji’ous mid had given chalets in Switzerland for tne movements. One for scouts and one ±or, guides. 'There was one and a half million Girl Guides in America said Lady Baden-Powell, “We older people nave made a mess of things and the young people have got to strive to be the builders of this brave new world which seems so long coming,” said Lady Baden-Powell, That was a world association to teach young people to be better citizens of their countries and to grow up knowing about, each other and sharing each others friendship. It was essential also that they learned each others points of view. One outstanding example given by Ladv Baden-Powell of tne work of the "scouting and guiding movements in the international sphere was tnat of India Lady Baden-Poweil said that in India there were millions of young people to whom guiding opened a golden door.. In India women were treated as mere chatels, and were rather dragged up than brought up. The girls had received great assistance from the guiding movement. One of the'miracles of the guiding and scouting movements said the speaker was how to overcome all barriers —man-made barriers. She concluded with an appeal for people in Greymouth to become interested in the movements and assist in the way .of leaders for the other young persons to be included.