GIRL GUIDES

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 November 1929, Page 18

GIRL GUIDES

NOTES BV “OUIDER.”

MANAIA COMPANY. The Divisional Commissioner, Mrs John Houston, accompanied by the District Captain for Ilawera, Mrs F. C. King, paid a visit to the Manaia Company on AYcdnesday afternoon. They were met by a Guard of Honour under the 'Captain Miss B. Bridge. After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the Commissioner introduced Mrs King who later tonic company drill as a practise for the rally. ALL ROUND CORDS. The latest recipient of the. cords is iMiss Bessie Young, aeting-Lieutcnant of the Manaia Company. JOAN OF ARC CELEBRATIONS AT ROUEN. The celebrations of St. .loan, the Patron Saint of the French Guides, were especially interesting this year. They included the unveiling of a new statute of the Saint. A party of Surrey, London and Lancashire Rangers and Guiders accepted the invitation of the civic authorities to take part in the celebrations. The new statue represents St. Joan at the stake, her hands clasped in prayer. It is by a celebrated scluptor, M. Real del Sarte, and at the foot of the statue he has inscribed, “Remember that two owe our country to the sacrifice of a woman, to her tenderness and tears, to the blood she has slied for us.” Included in the procession this year were representatives of all the. institutions and societies of the city of Rouen, children of the schools, boys and girls belonging to the various religious Guilds, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, AVar A r eterans. Red Cross Nurses and a number of others. The French and English Guides, each carrying a sheath of flowers, were given the honour of forming the guard for the blue and white standard of St. Joan. A pretty ceremony of flowers'formed part of the proceedings. The prof cession marched down the narrow Rue l du Gros Horloge to the Pont Boieldieu. I Here the Guides were lined up against 1 the sides of the bridge, and to the signal of a cannon shot they all east their flowers into the swift-flowing river. Thus they rendered homage to the Saint, whose ashes were thrown into the Seine nearly three hundred years ago. A Service in the Cathedral was a fitting close to the day. The 'Guides were previously received by the Archbishop in his palace and from there formed into a procession, headed by a Crossbearer and Thurifers, each Guide -carrying a sprig of bay. After the “Hallelujah Chorus” the Archbishop delivered a wonder sermon in which he invited all those present to honour, in the person of the Saint, the most -perfect expression of moral grandeur, founded on justice and humility, love /and heroism. At the end of the ScrI vice the Guides laid their sprays of bav at the. foot of the statue of St. Joan, in the Chapel dedicated to her memory.

—From the Guide —abridged

FIRST DOMINION LAUGHING OWL'

To Otago belongs the distinction of having the first “Hakoke” in New Zealand. “Hakoke” is a name for the New Zealand Laughing Owl, and has been adopted by Dominion Headquarters as the name for Brownie Officers under the rank of Eagle Owl. Miss Nellie Campbell, of Dunedin, has been appointed the first. “Hakoke” and her duties will be with the packs in Otago which she will visit from time to time. Miss Campbell has for four years held the title of Chief Brown Oxvl for Otago w'hon she has done practically the work of a Laughing Owl. Friends of Mrs L. C. 11. Barbour will probably remember that Miss Campbell was a protege of liers in Dunedin. TTES AND BELTS. The “Dominion Girl Guide” for Noyember contains some instructive i remarks ou Guide ties and belts. “The chest protector typo of tie.” says'the article in humourous vein, “is becoming to few r . ” No tie should be more than two and a half inches broad and it is suggested that instead of folding the triangle into a narrow bandage, it be folded into three. For big Guides it should be about 12 inches long- from the top of the kno-t, and for the smaller ones within three inches of the bolt. The extra length can be obtained bv adding tapes at the end for the reef knot. This will enable bolt and tie to have a nearer view -of each other.

'“A belt is an encircling strip of leather worn round the waist to support -clothes or weapons.” Many Guide belts support weapons, few encircle the waist. Every Guide and Guider should decide for herself where her waist is, and do her best to keep her belt there.

Speaking of belts, of course every 'Guide knows that -floor polish or boot polish is the best cleaning agent, added to plenty of elbow grease which gives an additional finish. Buckles should also receive their weekly shine. Nothing looks better than two rows of winking buckles in the 'Guard of Honour, and, if above each buckle, are two humourous eyes looking as if they really enjoyed being there, the effect is complete. It really is quite as important to shine our belt as to shine vour badge. Ask any old soldier. LADY ALICE FERGUSSON CUP. It is indeed a sad blow for Taranaki that Hie Fergusson Cup is not ours this year. Nelson must indeed have had a wonderful collection of garments. Taranaki, however, is only 0 marks behind the winner, and half a mark behind the second place,- Wellington. Taranaki is third among nine competitors. Well, each girl did her best for the honour of the province, and more one cannot do.