BOY SCOUTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16564, 30 May 1914, Page 14

BOY SCOUTS.

(By VEDETTE.) The following very beautiful hymn xras brought from Melbourne by Scoutmaster Benjamin on bis return from the rally. Ho has had a number printed for the use of his troops at camps said other times. I reprint it for the benefit of other Scoutmasters throughtout the dominion who might like to /kave copies for their troops : r£» Just as I am. Thine own to be, i Friend cf the young, who lovest me; To consecrate myself to Thee, 0 Jesus Christ, I come. % In the glad morning oi my day. My Jife to give, my vows to pay, With no reserve and no delay, • With all my heart, I come. ""I. I would lira ever in the light, 1 would work ever for the right, I would servo Theo with all my might, Therefore to Thee I come. 4. Just as I am. young 1 , dtrong and free, I To be the best that 1 civn be, For truth and righteousness and Thee, Lord of my life, I come. 6. With many dreams of fame and gold, Success and joy to mnkc me bold; But dearer still, my faith U> hold For my whole life, I come. 6. And for Thy salce to win ronown, And then to take the victor's crown, ' And at. Thy feet to cast it down, 0 Master, Lord, I com«. General Godley, in apologising to Colonel Cossgrove for his inability to bo present at the annual meeting of the l>orainion Council last evening, says:— ''ln reply to your letter of May 18. I hare no particular suggestions to make in connection with your annual meeting, but hope that, it will bo very successful and productive of much good to the movement, in which, as you know, 31 take a great interest." The General went on to say ho was pleased to take the opportunity of informing Colonel Cossgrovo that' Sir lan Hamilton had seen his Scouts on .parade at many centres during his inspection, and was in every case very glad to see them there and Very pleased with their smart appearance. fn connection with the above, it may be remembered that though the Chief Commissioner was invited by the Defence .Department to turn out the Scouts, he did not do so, chiefly because the Government will not grant any concession on tho railways for Scouts to attend even a parade with the Cadets. He therefore gave permission for any district committee to parade its Scouts U it wished. '

It is about time that the Government gave some financial assistance to tho movement, and some concessions for the great work carried on and the splendid foundation in character laid by the organisation in tho coming men of the dominion. Every application hitherto made has proved fruitless, though it has been pointed out that the Commonwealth Government has led the way by granting a concession of half fares to Scouts and Scoutmasters travelling in uniform on Scout 'business. It has been urged also that the South African Government has gone a step further by granting permission to Scouts to continue their training till they are eighteen years of age, when they are drafted direct into the Territorials, and King's Scouts go in as non-commission-ed officers. This, it will be remembered, is. the proposal which Colonel Cossgrove drafted for tho South African Defence Commission which met at Johannesburg soime three years ago, and which wrote tq him for a schemo. We are apt to claim for Now Zealand more advanced legislation, very often, than she deserves, and are just as often bound to confess that she is slow to grasp what is for her best interests. Suggestions aro coming in from all parts of the dominion now for some concerted action at the approaching polls, and it is probable that the question of Government recognition will bo put to every candidate for political honours.

*Mr J. v". Brown, M.P., and Commissioner for Hawko's Bay, says in writing to tbo Chief Commissioner: —" The only suggestion I have to make (and probably you have "made it before) is that the Government ought to give a fairly large subsidy to the Boy Scout movement. I am sure it is a good one and ought to receive tho support of the Government." -It is pleasing to know fchat some members of Parliament recognise the value of the movement, but one can only deeply deplore the apathy of other members.

'Writing on May 24 from Wellington, j District Commander ]5. Lawson says:— " Just a few lines to let you know" that ; .vesterday at the Cadet parade for Sir • lan Hamilton's inspection, the Wei-1 lington Scouts paraded and were inKpectcd by him. We numbered sevontyBeven boys and fivo officers. The notice was perhaps short, definite word only being received on Tuesday. Brigadier Pqwles telephoned me to know if I could eupply twelve boys to guide ticket-hold-ers to their seats. I consented readily and suggested turning out all those Scouts who wore not on parade as Senior Cadets, and on Tuesday I got word that : Colonel Chaytor, 0.C.D., would be pleased to see them on parade. Although our.numbers wero small. I can safely say that never have the boys looked smarter than they did yesterday. In inspecting the lines of Scouts, Sir lan asked several questions, such as tho name of the troops and what part of the city they were in. I explained that bi addition to those on parade as Scouts piany wero in tho ranks of the Cadets, and that they always paraded first as Cadets, to which he replied: ' Oh, yes, they must do that. lam told that you have a Cadet company of Scouts', (referring to Captain Macfarlane, our .Chief Inspector's, command). On the morning of tho parade I was informed that a Cadet officer wanted tho Scouts to collect money from the crowd for the Cadet Band. I requested him to inform the officer that I regretted this could not be done. The Scouts would do anything to help except collect .money. As I read ' Scouting for Boys,' " t continues Mr Lawson, '' this sort of collecting even for deserving objects is to be discouraged. ... As well as showing people to their seat? yesterday, tho Scoute distributed programmes at tho : gates till within five minutes of the inispoction."

In the annual report read last night Jthe Chief Commissioner referred to the '[many acts performed by tho WellingUon Scouts tor tho benefit of the public.

1 Tho Hon W. F. Massey, Sir E. 0. )3ibbes, General Godloy, Mr J. V. Brown, M.P., and a number of others, sent apologies to tho Chief Commissioner for •bsence from the annual meeting last evening. The annual report, which deals with progress. Sea Scouts, Senior Scouts, Junior Scouts, finance and geneIral matters, will appear in this column /next week.

Sir Cecil Moon, of Christchnrch, has •ceepted a seat on the Boy Scout Council. He is entirely in sympathy with and is much interested in the movement, . . Major Sandford, Commissioner for Taranalri, received the following letter on May 23 from Captain A. C. 0. Stevens, of the New Zealand Scouts Council at New Plymouth:—"l wish to thank you most heartily your •ction in turning out the Boy Scouts on the 20th inst. and so materially helping to make tho Cadet review before Sir 'an Hwilton a j»jcces&. The

manner in which you and your boys kept the approaches to the parado ground clear was admirable, and I am exceedingly grateful to you and to them."

News has just come to hand that the Boy Scouts of Hokianga had a great day on May 24 before the new District Commander, Mr Ruddall, and that thoro is groat activity among all tho Scouts in the far north. I sec from tho Wellington Press that the Chief Commissioner has been requested to present the Silver Cross to Corporal Jasper Baldwin and Smut Plaits-Mills for saving life in the Wainui on April 30. The function will take place on the evening of June 3.