BOY SCOUTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15920, 4 May 1912, Page 8

BOY SCOUTS.

AT WORK AND AT PLAY. tf ycu toil for the land with br»in or haufi You lovo, ivnd honour, and crown; Britain «»y» to «aoh, "Well don*!" Tnkinff ncccnr.t of her evary eon.

(By VEDETTE.) " Vcdetto" will bo pleased to r»ociro news or criticism from Scoutmasters or Scouts, or from any person interested in the Boy Scout movement, for insertion in this column. Contributions should reach the " Lyttelton Times " Offioe not later than Thursday morning.

A practice of the Circular Rally will be held thia afternoon. The troop will parade at the Drillshcd at. 2.80 o'clock under Commissioner-Captain Inglis to march to the parade ground for the Circular Rally, the spiral run and the dominion' haka. Colonel Cosfegrove will supervise. It is most important that every boy and officer should bo present to* see how the movements are to bo dene, and to have their places assigned to thorn.

A Board of Inquiry, consisting of two Commissioners and a Chief Scoutmaster was set up by the Christchurch District Committee to inquire into certain charges laid against a Scoutmaster and a Scout of his troop. , Though warned to attend, neither put in an appearance, and evidence was taken ia their absence.

The members of the Board unanimously recommended that the Scout should bo dismissed from the Boy Scout organisation., and that his badges should be taken from him on payment for thorn. Aftar hearing all available evidence, the Board decided to recommend that the Scoutmaster's commission should bo cancelled.

Scoutmaster Charteris, Fairlie, who has been in hospital for some time, has returned to duty again. As the troop he formed before his illness war. only a few weeks old, the boys were unable to carry on in his absence. They have got together again, however, and will, no doubt, make up for lost time. It hr.« been decided to remain under the control of the J'imoru District Committee for the present. Scoutmaster Charter's reports:—"The boys are very enthusiastic now the long nights have set i:;. They hope to get through a lot of indoor work, so that when summer comes round again they will be ablo to start tho week-end camps, which aro so popular with some troops." .

Colonel Cossgrove has been informed by the Quartermaster-General that the" Senior Cadet uniforms are now ready for issue, and only await indents from the companies. These include uniforms for Boy Scouts who aro also Senior Cadets. Boy Scents of Senior Cadet companies should apply to their captains to requisition for their uniforms at once, so that they may bo able to turn out in them when the General comes.

The Tnahiwi patrol is doing a great amount of hard work. Every line morning Scoutmaster To Aika has hia boys out at daybreak for physical exercises acV. deep breathing and in tho evening he has them in his house, when aftar school lessons are learned, he teaches them various useful wrinkles in preparation for their second-class badges.

District Commander Stobbing. of Auckland, roports that District Secretary Kingsbury has resigned owing to pressure of private business and to illness in his family. Mesars A. W. Potter and J. Cnnmbell have agreed to act temporarily. The District Commando? says that the Governor kindly agreed to inspect tho Scouts and witness their work last Saturday. The Minister of Railways has informed him that tho matter of concessions to country troops when travelling t> under review, and has promised to write further in a few dry's time. Auckland will make a good show when the General comes,,, and if Sunday, Slay 2(>. bo line a splendid turn out at tho wharf and in Queen Street will greet the General when he steps off the steamer.

Mr W. H. Zouch secretary for tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, has informed Colonel Cossgrove that tho Badges of Mercy have arrived, and has requested him to send the names of Boy Scouts or Girl Peace Scouts who have been instrumental in preventing cruelty to animals, or who have done anything worthy of record during the past year in connection with the kind treatment <jf animals in this district. Mr Zouch asks if it would be possible to get General Baden-Powell to present the badges. He also states that the Home tor Animals would regard it as an honour if tho General would open the institution, as it is tho first of its kind in Australasia. Colonel Cossgrove has replied that ho will endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Society. The General could probably open the Homo in tho forenoon and present the badges at tho inspection.

Mr T. G. Palmer, Commissioner for South Canterbury, met with a:\ unfortunate accident, whereby he has lost the sight of one eye. It is hoped that this injury will not bo permanent, but at preset:! the effect is very doubtful. Commissioner Palmer has the heartfelt sympathy of all his brother officers. Mr J. Williams, H.S.W., has been appointed Deputy-Commissioner.

The Kcv W. Swinburn, Commissioner for Southland, has removed to tho Bluff. He was farewelkd ct Gladstone and received a presentation. At the Bluff he was welcomed, so that tho lest month has been a busy one for Fn'm. He reports that Mr Walker, district secretary for Invercargill and Scoutmaster of tho Salvation Army Troop there, has twenty boys, who aro doing good work. He frightened the life or.t of the people on Rivorton beach on Easter Monday by bringing an apparently drowned boy out nf tho surf mid applying fir«t aid—a clever advertisement for the Boy Heout movement. Only :\ few weeks a£o a strong swimmer was drowned • there, in spite of strenuous attempts to rescue him. Tf we are to get n ':vip of Southland worth mentioning the General must lecture in such placer, as Gore and Rivei'ton. certainH in Invercargill. Once we get go?n« properly tho people will graep" its importance and support us.

Mr de Lambert, district secretary for Oamaru, reports:—"As my previous letters havo told, wo are having Gome difficulties in Oair.aru and the trouble is undoubtedly caused, bylack of interest among the. boys and their parents. The (general meeting called "was attended by the Revs J. D. Russell and R. J. Porter and two parents, in addition to about thirty S'.'outs and their officers. After discussing the position with Messrs Russell and Porter, the district Commissioner decided that wo should not disband, but make a final effort to make the movement more popular. A camp was held at Easter and since that time two meetings have been hold. Examinations are to bo held on Friday evening for the tenderfoot badges, and I hope to be ablo to report that all have passed."

District Secretary Mogrid|;e. or Blenheim, has removed to Auckland, and Mr P. A. Edinger has been appointed in his place. Ho writes:

"Our troop at the present time is not a vorv large one. We have only about thirty-six bovs on our roll, but wo aro enrolling boys now every Friday night. Nearly all the boy 3wo arc enrolling are between tho ages of ten ' "nd fourteen years, end most of them 1 i new to tho work. The Senior Cadets are largely responsible for the decrease in our numbers. The older boys are I compelled to attend the Cadet drill, | uud thev cannot attend tho two. AII though "the boys arc young and now to the work, good work is being done ! amongst them. Several of them are i 'ready to take their first and secondclass badges, and three or four ready to take proficiency badges. The Rev R. de Lambert, our Scout Inspector, is doing good work among us. Mr G. Mansford is our Scoutmaster, and I am his assistant. Unfortunately, we aro losing Mr do Lambert, who is going to Auckland, but what is our loss will be Auckland's gain. . . . During the last six months a scout wharo has been built and fitted with bunks and cupboards by the boys and stocked with cooking utensils and camp crockery, out of the troop funds. The wharo accommodates eight boys and an officer. A shower bath has also been fitted near tho whare, for use by the boys, who in tho summer-time take advantage of it. In fine weather a patrol of boys take in turns weekly living in the wharo in charge of an officer, r.nd doing scout work morning and evening. In regard to Sir Robert Baden-Powell's visit, we have received copies of the General's letter and tho dominion rally, and were pleased to get them. We are se7iding two patrols to Wellington to take part in the dominion rally, and our scouts will bo billeted out with Wellington Scouts, and the Wellington District Secretary has promised us a right royal time, to which wo are looking forward."

Scout'ncsters who have any candidates for tho Tatum medals or for tho Bad~en of -Mercy are requested to send in their applications to Colonel Cossgrove at once, in order that arrangements may be made for their presentation by tho General on the days of his inspection.

The "Dominion Scout" for May is a very interesting one. The editor has very appropriately called it tho " Grand Review Number." It should be in the hands of every Scout, since it contains the latest portrait of tho General in his Scout uniform. There in another instalment of the interesting serial, "Tho Cruise of tho Penguin," and numerous short stories arc given, besides the poultry notes, "Scout Yarn for Colonial Scouts," " Animal Life ill Now Zealand," the attractive competition page, and four pages of interesting items from troops from every province in tho dominion. I heartily commend it to all parents and to all boys and girls, whether they are Scents or not. GIRL PEACE SCOUTS. The Christchurcli Council has requested permission to parade the Girl Peace Scouts by themselves for tho General, They would prefer to have an informal afternoon, at which they would provide refreshments cooked by the girls. Mrs Tomlinson was deputed to obtain tho use of the grounds at Bishopscourt, if possible, providing the Dominion Chief did not object to the arrangement. Several examiners have been appointed and somo new members elected.

Colonel Cossgrove has informed the Council that ho has no objection to tho course proposed providing tho General can make it conveniont to attend Guch a function, which ho very much doubts. The forenoon has already l>eeii filled up, and the boys' rally will take from 2 till 4 p.m. Bishopscourt/ can bo obtained and if the weather should bo suitable tho General could perhaps inspect them at 4.30 and might enjoy a cup of tea prepared by the girls then. Tho General, however, much prefers to see some work done to being entertained, as may be seen from his letter to the Colonel.

The Fendalton patrol has been attending lessons on the caro and management of infants under a Plunket nurse. Tlio girls have taken great interest in the lessons and tho Sister has been most kind and patient with them. These lessons will help tho girls to get through their honours tests.

The troop at Stratford, which started so well, has apparently collapsed, owing to tho want of scoutmistresses and to some misunderstanding with tho Council. This was one of the most promising troops in the north, at one time being over forty strong.

The Auckland Troop has arranged to parade for inspection in Government House grounds, which have been kindly lent by Lady Islington for the occasion.

Tho members of the Inglewood Council have provided the giris each with a copy of " Peace Scouting for Girls," to enable them to better grasp the work. This is very wise action, as the girls cannot be expected to have much idea of the aims and objects of the scheme when there is only one book among the troop.

Tho Timaru Troop is looking forward with much interest to the visit of the General, and only regrets that he will not have time to seo the members at work. Scoutmistresses who have troops that are unable to give an exhibition of their work are requested to have a list of subject? taught ready to hand to tlio General, and the members of the Council are requested to attend, to be introduced .to him by the Colonel.