SCOUT NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 269, 28 October 1932, Page 3

SCOUT NOTES

(By

“Friar Tuck.”)

COMMISSIONER’S LETTER. Dear Scouts, —1 want to say thank you to the Scouts and Scouters who carried out their duties of helping the public and the society at the recent Show. 1 was pleased to see many mov r ing about smartly and taking a pride in their service. But 1 am sorry to have to say that some would have done better service had they not come or worn the uniform, 1 saw some running about (or rather slouching) about with no hats nor scarves, and with stockings round their boot tops. This sort of thing is felt very much by your comrades and lowers the whole movement in the eyes of the public. They were certainly few, but, as 1 said before, it is these few who are particularly noticed. Also it is not the duty of Scouts in uniform to assist at side shows. Steps will be taken to see that only reliable chaps receive the privilege of free entry to the Show—those who are proud of their uniform. Some chaps were working all the time and I hope they feel the satisfaction of having done their duty and had some fun as well. I hope you all saw the peacocks. Weren’t they beautiful? They belong to the pheasant family and originally come from India anil round about Malay.. They were, taken to England lather for their beauty than for eatijig, although banquets in the old days generally included them, buj they were dished up with their tail feathers as a spectacular event rather than for the value of their flesh. They are used in England to add to the beauty of some of the splendid gardens of the mansions, but they are noisy and mischievous birds both in the garden and the poultry yard. Some are white. Their cry resembles “Pao” and they also make strange noises by rattling the quills of their tail feathers. The male is generally held up as the emblem of conceit because he puffs himself up and spreads his feathers and struts about in front of his ladies to attract attention. We know of people who are very fond of acting in a similar way and are of very little use, but make a great deal of noise and show. Did you see the spinning wheel made by a boy and the wool he shore, spun and dyed? That was an object lesson of perseverance and thrift. Cheerio! , “LITTLEJOHN.” CONGREGATIONAL TROOP CAMP. Thursday saw the Congregational scouts arrive at Rissington and they came on bikes carrying their swags. The camp was run by the Patrol Leaders until Saturday when their Scoutmaster “Deerfoot” arrived. There were 26 boys camped and they looked a very smart lot, and it is to the credit of their Scoutmaster that the camp was so well run by the Leaders. It was a pity these lads had to bike home in the rain on Monday. I hope next week to be able to give a fuller report of their doings. GREAT WORK AT THE HUT. CHIMNEY BUILT BY THE NAPIER ROVERS. On Sunday morning a lorry arrived carrying Rovers and 400 bricks. The lorry was taken as close as it was deemed safe by it’s driver, and from there the bricks were carted over the river in the Farm Troop’s trek cart and dumped at the Hut. On Monday all the bricks were there and our “bricky Rover” set to work. Under his hand the bricks were quickly laid and before he left that night it was easy to see that it was a chimney, that he was building. With so much done he assures us that he will bq up tfie first week-end he can and will finish it. I am sure all the Scouts of Hawke’s Bay will join with me in thanking the donor of the bricks and the Rovers for their skilled (and otherwise) labour.

ESK TROOP NOTES.

Last week-end we had a Patrol Leaders’ camp. Skipper said that if we wanted the camp we jvould have to hike. So hike we did. Our destination was the Rissington Camping Ground, winch, -b v road, ig thirteen miles distant. Two of us went by road and the other two went over the hills. These cross-country men took their bearings by a tree on the horizon and went straight for it regardless of what was in the way. To listen to their description of some of the hills made us wonder whether they had been crossing the Southern Alps 1 However, they were the first men into camp, the road hikers coming in a good deal later. Getting the tent pitched and tea cooked took the rest of the afternoon, and we were sleepy travellers that went to bed that night. Next morning we were all up .bright and ea rlyexcept for’Skipper, who did not get up until we had brought him tea in bed! Most of the morning was spent in practising lashings and general pioneering work. The cooks were very ’busy as they were going to put on something speciaj for lunch. It would have been a jolly good feed, but unfortunately a bag of something white which wa staken for flour turned out to be Plaster of Paris for cast making;. No, we did not eat the boiled pudding. After lunch we got going on a stalking game, which kept us going hard till it was time to pick up. The Rissington Farm Troop invited us to tea, and gave us a splendid feed. Some day we hope to return the compliment. After tea we gathered round the fire and sang songs till we could sing no more. Skipper then took us home by car, and so ended a jolly good weekend camp.