Boy Scouts and Cubs

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 24 December 1925, Page 13

Boy Scouts and Cubs

(By

“Pathfinder.”)

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS. A nierry Christinas morning To each and ever one. And may the Christmas splendour A joyous greeting bear Of love that ’s true and tender, And faith that ’s fair and sweet. O merry bells! this Christmas day, How loud and clear your ringing; Such love and mirth o’er all the earth Your trusty voices flinging. O bells of God, ring on our souls, To grander action stirring; Till ail our jjays are Christmas days Of loving and of serving. —Selected. ® ® <© Well, Scouts, Cubs, Guides and Officers all, by Mr Editor’s behest, the weekly budget of news anc? other items has to appear not when “Pathfinder” a week ago expected, that is, the day following Christmas, but the day preceding, Christmas Eve in fact. So you ci'ine in for a double measure of the season’s compliments and we trust you will ail hava a jolly day to morrow, and the happiest of holidays to follow.( By another decree of Mr Editor, our ne’xt column will not appear until the 2nd of January, so that this week, along with good wishes for the Yule-tide, “Pathfinder’’ must, if he is to be beforehand with his wishes, express his hopes fur a .Happy New Year’s Day as well, lie certainly docs bespeak for all Scouts, and Guides the brightest and best of good days, a happy forecast of a must prosperous and useful year.

AT HEADQUARTERS.

The following extracts from letters received from Sir Alfred Pickford, commoting upon the New Zealand census •for the year ended 30th September, J 925. and from the 17th annual report, are for general information. “In view of the serious epidemic j>f infantile paralysis which raged in your Dominion, it is really wonderful how quickly the Scout movement has recovered. We are in entire agreement with your action in not recognising thos'e, troops which have not forwarded their returns. 1 am, however, quite confident that, should you be spared from any further epidemics, we shall see a good rise in your figures for the year which has just started. '* * * “I have just been reading the lt7h annual report for New Zealand. We do congratulate you very heartily on the pi ogress that has been made. The whole, tiling is most encouraging-. The prophecy in my report to Imperial headquarters on New Zealand that the movement would now steadily advance and become something very splendid is rapidly fulfilled.”

The Chief Commissioner, General Andrew, brought particularly to notice the splendid progress of the work in Wellington, Wanganui, Gisborne and Hastings. Tho acceptances for the Jamboree have closed with a total of 1100 Scouts from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The Chief Commissioner and Dominion Executive heartily congratulate Commissioner Muck aud Those working with him upon the splendid results so far achieved by them.

It has been decided that Dominion headquarters will present a special flag to be awarded to tho troop gaining the highest number of points for their work at the Jamboree. This flag will be won outright All Scout officers and Scouts whilst in the coniines of the Dunedin district from the Ist of January to the 11th February, 1926, will be attached to the Dunedin district Scouts and be under Commissioner W. F. Aleck for discipline. * * * The Association’s long service meffid was awarded jo the following: In the Auckland district, S. M. Norwood; in the Wellington district, D. S. M.Nelson, 11. Donkin, W. Phillips, and S. M. G. Bell, D. McKenzie, ami W. 11. Payne. One five year bar fo medal was awarded to D. S. McDonkin, of Wellington. * *• * Two new troops have been formed and registered namely, Dargaville, Scoutmaster, 11. L. Moyle, with 24 members, and Scddon, Scoutmaster "K. Watson, with 28 members. * » * The Dominion Chief Commissioner announces that Earl Jeilicoc, late Dorn inion Chief Scout, has been appointed County Commissioner for London. AFFAIRS NEARER HOME.

It was recently announced that Mi Cookery, of Rissington, had agreed to look after the members of the Have

lock North Troop during the absence in Dunedin of tho Scotuniaster and his assistants. A further step has now to be mentioned. Mr Cooksey, it will be remembered, had a Scout troop prior ! to the war, and not only lie but also the members of his troop saw service overseas. The old interest in scouting was never dead, only dormant, and now? it has hurst out in a flame of enthusiastic , interest and Air Cooksey desires again to be enrolled as a warranted scout officer. Accordingly representation-, have been made to Dominion headquar tors with a view to securing the ne- i cessary tmlhority for him to ink : ; charge of a scout troop, in the mean j time he will be available for emergem-y .service during the absence of Scout of- , fleers, but he hopes hy and hy to have ! a troop of his own. So the Havelock boys not going I south are to have a camp at Hissing- ■ ton. They will assemble with thei " 1 Jamboree mates, give the latter a rous : ing send-off and then themselves receive ' a send-off to their first camp. They ar. ; to be congratulated on having two such i capable men to lake charge of them. Dlr T. Sladdin, secretary of uTe' Havelock North troop committee and Mr Cooksey, who has promised to initiate them into . the especial Scout art of bridge Imild ; ing of which he has some experience. I witness the splendid suspension bridge 1 which remained for years anTT eras only j wrecked by the big flood of eighteen i months ago. Tho Hastings Y.31.C.A. Scouts are i incessantly on the move. Last week ■ we had to report tho open-air concert i ami tho Municipal pictures. During the , same- week other activities were afoot i unknown to “Pathfinder.” At the iM.a i ho'ra baths swimming tests of sccoml ; and first-class grades were put through under the supervision of the committee chairman. Particularly interesting it is said were tho rescuers’ tests iK which the Scouts had to dive clothed into water, divest themselves of clothing ami effect a rescue of another per son supposed to be in difficulties. Sev oral qualified for the test. On another occasion they were out estimating heights, distances, areas with a view to completing their first class badge. It is pleasing to be able to record that three or four of these have eow been earned. This means hard work, real progress up the Scout ladder, and a very degree of general effi-

ciency and usefulness. The winners of the badge deserve the heartiest congratulations on their success.

Scoutmaster Florancc, of Paki Paki, reports that his boys arc pushing steadily forward. They are doing nothing spectacular just at present, but possibly have something “up their sleeve,” for he makes tho sententious remark, that “When they do things, they do things.” Certainly “Pathfinder” would hesitate to dispute that, so he will live in the expectation of some notable exploit for future report.

Haumoana troop was visited not long ago by ex-Scoutmaster Parkill, recently of Aberdeen, where * he haa charge of a troop of boys. Two or more of his sons also took a great intrest in the movement ih the Land of the Thistle and the. Heathci? and their co-operation in the land of the kiwi and weka will be most, welcome. The Hftumoana Scoutmaster also reports that they are making a beginning with a library. A few books have been donated, and more will be added as ways and means permit.

From Wa.ipukurau comes “copy” in columns! First a detailed report of the very excellent concert organised by the Mayor of the town in aid of Jamboree funds. From this we quote: ‘Ere the close of the evening the Scoutmaster. Captain Charles Gray, addressed the audience, briefly as to the value of the Scout organisation, physically, mental ly and morally and as an Empire ser vice factor.’ The captain’s words are worth giving in full but must be held over for this week. They will serve admirably for inclusion in our first column for the new year.

It is pleasing to be able to announce that news has come Io hand from tho Scoutmaster of the Woodville troop which has a membership of about 3(). Tho Rev Davidson has only recently taken up the work on account of the great value he sees in scouting for boys. He is arranging for a camp to be held in the Gorge. His report also will be submitted next week. * * * This is the time when you will no doubt all be preparing for the summer camp. Dominion headquarters has it good deal of first rate advice to offer in I his connection especially for scoutmasters and committeemen. For that also we must ask your patience u/itil the issue of the “Tribune” on 2nd January.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. These have to be bracketed in our column then, for this week. How often we hear the wish expressed that the Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill, of forgiveness and of generous gif giving could be pereptuated throughout the year. Scouts ami Guides are, in accordance with their law and promise trying to live a life which actually does secure these beautiful conditions. They are not tho only ones, however. Some of the grown-ups arc on the same line.-. They band themselves together into various groups and societies and clubs The Rotary Club, for example, aims to render service all the year round. Sure ly this is the true Christmas spirit. Ro tary and Scouting and Guidrag, as well as the Christian Church, are doin c ; what they can to get folk to send out kind thoughts and to do good action.-, wherever they can. inis is the proper Christmas jife and “Pathfind er” advises all his readers to resolve to keep at it not only during the holiday season but throughout the coming

WHAT OTHERS THINK.

Here are three quotations to supplement and conclude what has so far been said: — “Why at Christmas begin and end this happiness that comes from makingother people happy ? Why not continue it always? There is no need to be giving toys to boys anti girls all the yea* round —they don’t want that. Just 5” words express that feeling of good will to men and cb.ildrcn alike, and you’ll find that because it is scarce during the rest of the year it is all the more appreciated. “Here’s my Christmas wish to you — that you start right out to-day, and make this the jolliest Christmas that ever was by spreading good cheer around you, am! that you will keep it. up right through the year. You know

deep down in your heart that it is th only way to be really happy.

A CHRISTMAS WISH. 1 will not wish thee riches or the glow Of greatness, but that where'er thou Some weary heart may gladden at thy smile, Some weary life know sunshine for a while, And so tUy years shall bo a track of light Like ungels' footsteps passing through the night.