GIRL GUIDES ASSOCIATION

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 30 May 1932, Page 4

GIRL GUIDES ASSOCIATION

TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY OF MOVEMENT. COMMEMORATION SERVICE AT HAWERA. Yesterday commemoration services were lieU throughout the Empire in honour of the twenty-first birthday of the Girl Guides Association. In Hawera the occasion was fittingly marked by the attendance at St. Mary’s ■Church of a large assembly of Guides and Brownie of the South Taranaki Division from Hawera, Manaia and Opunake. They were accompanied by the Hawera Scouts and Oub packs under 'their commissioner, Mr F. W. Horner. There was a large and representative attendance of the general public, evidencing the keen interest taken in these youth organisations. As the Guides and Scouts entered the church the various colour parties fell out in order to join the choir and clergy in procession. An impressive and pleasing spectacle was afforded by the reception of the various colours at the altar at the commencement of the service.

The Guide Law was solemnly repeated by the 'Guides before the seron, the vicar of St. Mary’s explaining that this was symbolical of the repetition of cows at the alter in days gone by. The Rev. H. Whiby James delivered an address on loyalty, emphasising the duty owed by each Guide and Scout to the King, to the home, and to the movement. He conveyed to those present birthday greetings from the Hawera Toe H 'Group and visiting representatives of that organisation from Wellington, Wanganui and New Plymouth.

■The lesson from Ist John, chapter IV, was read by the Divisional Commissioner, Mrs John Houston.

With the vicar in .the chancel were the Rev. E. 'S. Emmitt and the Rev. Keith EWen, representing the Methodist and Baptist Churches respectively. Apologies were received from the Rev. R. E. Evans, Presbyterian Church, and from Adjutant McKenzie of the Salvation Army. The order of service followed in Hawera was that prescribed for use in 'Great Britain and throughout the Empire. After “Taps” had been sung by the Guides, the various bearers had the colours returned to them by the vicar, and were arranged on either side of -the altar -while the Benediction was pronounced and the National Anthem sung.

The Guide officers present were: Divisional Commissioner for South Taranaki, Mrs John Houston; District Commissioner for Manaia and Opunake, Mrs T. N. Watt; Captains Miss P. Lennon (Hawera, acting-Dis-triet 'Captain), Miss B. Bridge (Manaia), Miss M. Cook (Opunake), Mrs Fossie (late Amberley Company, now resident in Hawera); Lieutenants Miss M. Macdonald, Miss O. Free (Hawera), Miss B. Young (Manaia); Brown Owls, Miss E. Free, Miss S. Lysaght (Hawera) ; Tawny Owl, Miss I. Baker (Hawera). The Scout officers were: Mr F. W. Horner (Commissioner), Scoutmaster Lay, Cubmaster Pettit and Cubmistress Miss D. Britland.

Mr Herbert Webb was at the organ and a full choir was in attendance.

Post Guide, Miss Elma Lee, a patrol leader in the branch of guiding specially designed for invalid children, was present in the church.

The central service held in Great Britain yesterday was at Westminster Abbey. Services in Taranaki were held at New Plypiouth, Kaponga, and Patea in addition to that held in Hawera.

TREE-PLANTING AT NAUMAI PARK. On Saturday, members of the Hawera • 'Guide Company and Brownie Pack met at the Naumai Park, where, under the direction of Mr L. A. Taylor, they planted trees of commemoration in honour of the twenty-first birthday of the movement. Those who planted trees were, Patrol Leaders Barbara Woods, Betty Woods, Iris Macdonald, Olivo Archbold and Mabel Wyatt. After the . tree-planting, a ceremonial song was sung by all .those present, and a prayer, specially written for the occasion, was recited by the 'Commissioner, Mrs - John Houston. The Brownies had their own little ceremony with their Brown Owl, Miss E. Free, and Tawny Owl, Miss I. Baker, itwo kowhai trees being planted, all the little people assisting vigorously in the operation of stamping in the earth. The .trees planted by the Guides were wellgrown specimens of rimu, pohutukawa, kowhai, and totara. In the morning a special ceremony was performed at the park when a totara tree grown by herself was planted by Mrs W. Janson, on behalf of the vice-presidents of the Hawera branch.

SERVICE AT PATEA. For his address at the service commemorating the 21st birthday of the Girl Guide movement, held in St. George’s Church, Patea, on Sunday, Mr. E. F. Hemingway took for his text ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all those things shall be added unto you.” ’ In reference to this Mr. Hemingway asked the Guides to aim at happiness more than any material riches. He said that a happy, contented man was far richer than" a millionaire who, with all-,his money, could not buy happiness. Mr. Hemingway told the Guides and Brownies that if they followed God’s Lavs and the Guide Law they would gain happiness. He urged them to he kind and to put self in the background. Every member of the Patea Girl Guide "company, including the Brownies, attended the service held yeste'rday afternoon, and the seating capacity was taxed to its utmost. The parade of Guides and Brownies marched to the church headed by the Patea Municipal Band. Lieut. Sheilds, of the Patea Company and Rev. Field and Captain Pidgeon assisted at the service.