SCOUT NOTES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 210, 18 August 1933, Page 12

SCOUT NOTES

(By *

"Friar Tuck.”)

COMMISSIONER’S OUTLOOK.

Once again the most beautiful, season of the year is arriving. Nature is wsdting from its winter sleep. The country looks very beautiful this morning as I write. The voices of the lambs come from the paddock in front ' of me. The willows are just beginning to put on their new spring costume, the bulbs giving the garden a festive appearance. X had a very interesting visitor to my home this morning. He is now out on a willow tree at the bottom of my garden. I was first attracted by the whirr of wings, and looking up, saw a magpie swooping down into the willow. He flew off in a big hurry. I did not take much notice at first and then I heard a strange crackling. At first I thought it was my dog crunching bones, but found that the sound camo from the willow tree. There I saw a big, dark bird and thinking he was a pretty big magpie, took another look at him. I was surprised to find that it was a big, dark-brown parrot. I watched him as he climbed about the tree, pulling himself up with his curved beak and breaking off twigs. He seemed too dark for a kaka and I waited for him to show me the inside of his wings, which are as a rule pink. Soon he flew to another tree, but the inside of his wings did not appear to bo very pink, although much lighter than the outside. We do not get these chaps down our way and there are very few left now in the bush, 20 or more miles array. I wonder what brought him? I wish he would settle down for good in my garden. Things like this make country life very interesting. All the birds are very busy looking out house sites and calling their mates. You should keep your eyes open and try to learn as much about them as possible. It will make your life full of interest and you will learn many lessons. Get out into the country as much as you can. IWs the natural surrounding for a Scout and he should know the ways of birds and plants in all seasons. Camping time will be upon us soon. Have you made your plans, prepared your gear and fixed your site? What about taking a few _ chaps whose parents are Up against it, to camp as your guests? Have you done any handicraft this winter for the Exhibition? It comes off in November and I want it to be a good show. "LITTLEJOHN.” MORE ADVENTURES OF THE CHIEF AND THE KOHINOOE. In addition to her fishing and cruising adventures the Kohinoor also carried out some very successful racing and won quite a number of prizes. On one occasion at the Isle of Wight, the boat was leading, well ahead of all the others, when suddenly a squall sent the mast over the side. The crew were inclined to give up hope, but not so ‘‘Skipper Warrington.” He made them tumble to, cut away the wreck and from it improvise a jury mast and sail. Two other yachts slid past in the glory of full sail and secured first and second prizes but the Kohinoor managed to cross the line in third mace for which there was no prize. However an old clergyman who saw the plucky attempt was so pleased with the boys that he presented them each with a fox-terrier, for the breeding of which he was famous. This, as the Chief says ‘‘was better than winning any old silver cup.” It was not all play for the BadenPowell brothers. They had to work pretty hard in term time, for their father, a clergyman-professor, died when the Chief was only three and the mother was left with hardly enough to clothe and feed the children, of which there were six, five boys and a girl. As for education, the boys had to buckle to and get such schooling as they could cstrn for themselves. The Chief realised from the beginning that he would have to make his own way in life, and he made up his mind not to miss any chances. While he was at a preparatory school at Tunbridge Wells his mother was trying to get him into Charterhouse as a foundation boy. The Chief, while hoping this would happen, took no risks and made a further effort for himself, which resulted in his winning a scholarship for Fettes School in Scotland, so having two to choose from, and he went to Charterhouse. If you read the life of the Chief you will see that he always was prepared; he worked on two things and if the one failed there was the other and if both succeeded then he could take his choice. It is a very good idea for us all to be prepared and be able to carry on with another job if we lose our present one. No matter what the Chief undertook, he always had several strings to his bow. SCOUTERS’ ANNUAL DINNER & FAREWELL TO G.S.M. DE LISLE. The Scouters held their first annual dinner in the Trocadero, Napier, on Tuesday, August 8. There were 16 present, the guests being Group Scoutmaster de Lisle, Mr. Masterson, a Scouter from Scotland, Mr. P. F. Hunter, District Chairman and the Hon. District Commissioner for Hawke’s Bay and Mr. Copeland, chairman of the Congregational Group. A very large dinner was eaten— Scouters are only over-grown Scouts The toast list was: “The King,” proposed by Mr. Cooksey; “The Chief,” proposed by Robin Hood and responded to by Mr. Hunter, who said he considered the Chief was like the King and required no replying to. Mr. Cooksey proposed the toast to the guest of honour, Mr. de Lisle, and spoke of the splendid work Mr. de Lisle had done, for scouting and al though it was Hawke’s Bay loss it was Auckland’s gain, and he felt sure that it was not going to be a loss to the movement, for the de Lisle family would be scouting wherever they were. Replying, Mr. de Lisle said that all he had done had been done with tho greatest of pleasure and he was quite sure that his sons would not bo many days out of the movement, and if there is not a troop in his district in Auckland there soon will be. Deerfoot proposed the health of overseas Scouters and mentioned that, living as we do miles away from other countries, we missed a lot and were unable to help others in their difficulties. He mentioned one Seoutcr he had met who had boys of four different nationalities in his troop and had to give all his orders and instructions in the four different languages

Mr. Masterson, replying, said that he was very pleased to bo invited to the dinner and assured Scouters that they were by no means behind other countries. What he had seen at Dunedin and Hereworth had convinced him of this. The only fault he had to find was that, living upside down we did not appear to, and another thing he noticed wrong was the position of the stars. Being a good Scouter, he was accustomed to look for the Pole star to find north, but it is not to be found, and the Southern Cross seems to be in the wrong place. Another thing was that he was accustomed to go north to meet his countrymen, but here he had to go south to Dunedin. Mr. Hunter then proposed the health of the Commissioner which toast was honoured with great enthusiasm. The party then wen« to Mr. Spiller’s room and sang ,songs. Supper concluded a very successful evening, and Scouters are looking forward to next year’s i dinner.