SCOUT NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7473, 25 May 1934, Page 9

SCOUT NOTES

(By "Totara.”)

Gth Palmerston North (Northern) Troop.

The commifctco met during tho week and outlined a programme of work for tho next few months. Mrs C. Rabone kindly consented to hold an afternoon bridge party at her home on Wednesday afternoon next at 2.15 p.m., and invites members of troop committees and parents to attend. Among generous donations was a kind offer to defray the cost of tho installation of electric light into the troop headquarters. Many other kind offers of assistance are gratefully acknowledged, and as they are given in the true Scout spirit (they all wish to remain anonymous and ask that the nature of tho gift should not bo divulged), they aro most acceptable. The chairman of the committee is Mr J, N. Jordan, Mrs Hickin is tho secretary, and Mr S. D. Babone is treasurer. A parents’ evening is to bo held in the near future.

SAILORS AND SCOUTS

Mediterranean Fleet Helps When in Malta last year, tho Chief Scout, let drop a hint that tho various ships and regiments might generously tako it in turn to help tho Boy Scout movement on the island by giving theatrical shows, as they were wont to do when he, as Major Baden-Powell, enlistod their sympathy for various causes when ho was at Malta. The result is that, thanks to the efforts of Lt.-Col. P. B. Worrail, the Island Scout Commissioner, and the naval patron of the Malta Boy Scouts, Admiral Sir William W. Fisher, tho ships of the Mediterranean Fleet have been invited to be patron ships to the Boy Scout groups. Sir William Fisher said, in making the sehemo known; "It should bo understood that this proposal is on a purely voluntary basis, and is of the nature of that social service which has been so strongly advocated' by H.B.H. the Prince of Wales in recent years. Tho object of tho scheme is for ships to give their respective groups an occasional visit to the ship; a day at sea or an hour in a boat; a lecture on any subject; a game of football or hockey; instruction in signalling, rowing, steering, knotting, splicing, carpentering, the stars, and physical draining; and also help in tho matter of clothing and sports gear of poor Scouts. A naval party, the Cocktail Concert Party, has already given a performance in aid of Scout funds as a direct response to the Chief Scout’s hint, and it is interesting to find the Daily Malta Chronicle writing in tho following strain:—

"You have all hoard of that piece of journalistic confectionery, the ‘puff.’ It may be said that some affairs oarn ‘puffs’; others pay for ‘puffs’; and few have ‘puffs’ thrust upon them. The Boy Scout Association has something above paid ‘boost’; it has a nowvaiue, and thus, when we remind our readers of tho Cocktail Concert Party’s show, in aid of tho Malta Boy Scouts, it is done in an appreciation of that nows value, and because wo feel that tho Scouts are deserving of support as a body imbued with a spirit which' is needed so urgently in the world today.’ ’ SEA SCOUTS The Need for More The sight of a Scout wearing a seaman’s cap and blue jersey with "Sea Scouts” across the breast is much too rare in islands like ours. Sea Scouts, like other Scouts, make the same Promise, keep thfe same Law, and pass tho same badgo tests. Indeed, in the best Sea Scout troops the Scouts do all the ordinary Scout work, and are just as good as other Scouts at camping, cooking and hiking—and often a little better.

As a rule, however, their training and games have a nautical setting. Their nature study, for instance, will have more to do with clouds and weather conditions, lish. and seabirds, than would probably be the case in other troops. Camp time is kept by ship’s time and struck on a bell, and seafaring terms are used more freely. A Sea Scout will say “Aye, aye, sir,” when he gets an order from his Scoutmaster.

All round the English coasts you will find Sea Scouts, as hard as nails, cruising about at sea, week-end camping on a yacht or old pilot cutter, sometimes on" their own craft, and sometimes going as an extra hand with a, yachtsman. Some yachtsmen are very good to Sea Scouts, giving courses of instruction in seamanship in club rooms, and passing on many useful tips afloat.

Sailing is much tho best part of Sea Scouting, and you need not have a large and expensive yacht for that. It is splendid fun sailing in a boat, and often requires more skill than sailing a yacht. ‘‘lf you can sail' a dinghy,” it is said, “you can usually sail anything that floats.” You will' find Scouts sailing the kina of ship’s boats which are used in the Navy and Merchant Service, as well as smaller boats. You have to be very nippy to do it well, and you will learn to your costs what the seventh Scout Law (“A Scout obeys orders”) really means if you don’t shift promptly and smoothly across tho boat as she goes about, using your body as ballast. Although accidents to Sea Scouts are exceedingly rare (there has not been one for years), we have to be prepared for them by making a rule that Sea Scouts must be able to swim fifty yards in their clothes before they go out in boats.

A few Sea Scout troops have the use of motro-boats, but most have to be well content with sailing and rowing. There is no exorcise in the world like rowing for developing your muscles and keeping you fit. Sea Scouts who do a lot of rowing and aro constantly hauling on ropes, handling boat-hooks, heaving the i'ead, and raising anchors, soon develop strong, healthy bodies, which are ready to respond to any emergency'.