SCOUTS’ HOME.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 October 1924, Page 8

SCOUTS’ HOME.

\ A BUILDING PROPOSAL. ENERGETIC COMMITTEE FORMED. With about £3BO in hand the Boy Scouts’ Committee have decided to go into the matter of the immediate erection of the “Scouts’ Home,” and.with that end in view a meeting was held last night, when it was decided that those present form themselves. into a canvassing committee to obtain free labour. • The chairman (Mr E. Dixon) said lie did not see any reason why they should not go ahead with the erection of the building right away, and his suggestion was that those present form themselves into a canvassing committee to canvass builders, painters and plumbers, and also gentlemen who do not claim to be tradesmen, with a view to everyone' giving a day’s labour and assembling on the site in force so that as much of the work as possible could be completed in a day. In the case of a person who could not give a day’s work, a day’s pay would suffice. Information as to the cheapest source of material could also, be obtained, and the canvassing „ committee could meet in a fortnight’s time and report the result of their investigations. Mr Dixon moved a motion on . the lines of his suggestion, and Mr Booth seconded. Mr T. C. Hobbs said lie had been thinking over the proposal for the past few days, and he was very much afraid tliat they were going to have a job to lind the men to carry out the/work. The Labour Party was opposed to the Scout movement, and as about 50 per cent, of the carpenters were that wav inclined they probably would not get too much sympathy there. Also quite a number of carpenters had left Hawera, and, as they knew, the building trade had been slack for the past two years, and carpenters had lost quite a lot of time. It would require from 60 to 80 competent men to put the building up in a day. Mr Dixon said he was confident that the scheme could be worked, and in any case the present proposal was only to make a canvass with the idea of finding these things out. He had greater confidence in the citizens of Hawera than to suggest such a wet blanket. Mr W. Hawkins stressed the necessity of erecting r.i building suitable for holding social evenings in, and also suitable for use as a gymnasium. That being so they must have a good floor and a good strong roof, i The motion was then put and carried. The question of the site wa;s raised, the chairman stating that by the time I the canvassing committee submitted its | report in a fortnight’s time the Borough Council would have discussed that matter. Those present then divided themselves up into sub-c-ommittees to wait on various tradesmen*' and Messrs Hobbs and Hawkins undertook to submit a plan of the proposed building.