BADEN-POWELL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 21 February 1931, Page 5

BADEN-POWELL

CIVIC WELCOME AT AUCKLAND “INESTIMABLE VALUE OF TEAM WORK (Tfy Telegraph—Special to “The Mail") AUCKLAND, 20th February. 11 is aspirations to develop in the youth of the world the team spirit which was so strikingly illustrated in New Zealand on the occasion of the recent earthquake was described by Lord Baden-Powell in his response to the civic welcome in the Town Hall this afternoon. The Chief Scout paid a tribute to the courage of New Zealanders and said that no other colonials equalled them in that respect. Lord Baden-Powell said it seemed only yesterday that he was in Auckland last. He thought that by now the people had “found him out.” (Laughter.) He appreciated the welcome because it went farther than appreciation of his work. It went out to the boys and tile girls and the men and the women who were behind the Scout movement, and it gave them encouragement to know that the citizens were in sympathy with the movement. He assured his hearers that he was in daily contact with Auckland when at home, because 30 years ago, the people of the city presented him with a beautiful writing table, before which be sat almost every day of his life.

SHADOW OVER THE LAND He and Lady Baden-Powell came to New Zealand and saw everything looking beautiful, but they realised that there was a shadow 7 over the land. They felt deep sympathy with their fellow subjects of this country. At the same time he believed that New Zealand, being a young country, was in the end going to be of tremendous help to the nation. There was a big consolation about that. When the people looked back after the few months of sorrow it would be realised throughout the world what a nation the Empire had coming up in the Dominion —a nation of splendicl men and women who could face trials in a v 7 ay that he did not believe any other country could do. The spirit shown in time of adversity meant that in New Zealand there was a virile nation which would make its name among the nations of the world. In the scouts they had lost some of their young boys, but they had gone to a Happier Land and the Scouts would try and emulate that spirit and splendid example that had been shown by the people of the Dominion. They would try to produce the same character in the boys and girls of to-morrow, and try to make a nation that was going to be really a nation among the nations of the world, and a great jewel in the Empire.

1 ‘INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD” Lord Baden-Powell said he‘knew New Zealanders under trying circumstances. All classes ot‘ colonials bad served with him, and for pluck and courage lie had great hope for the scout movement in New Zealand, as. the spirit that was among (lie people now was going to help its advance, the only hope for peace in .Europe. There were bitter feelings still extant and they were growing in some cases. Countries which felt they had not been treated justly in tile last war were only waiting for another war to win hack what they considered their rights. There was a will to make treaties and bring about disarmament, hut he believed that those measures to preserve peace were absolutely futile till the spirit of people wishing for peace was built up and that was what the scout movement was aiming at with the next generation.

Lord Baden-Powell repeated that he had tremendous admiration for the wav the people of New Zealand rose to the occasion during the earthquake, and rallied to assist those in the stricken area. A fine spirit of team work was shown. Jealousies which had existed seemed to have died down, and every one had worked together in a wonderful fashion. That was the spirit that the scout movement hoped to inculcate into the hors and girls.

CHIEF GUIDE

LADY BADENPOWELL AT AUCKLAND GROWTH OF MOVEMENT Accompanying the Chief Scout to New Zealand is Lady Baden-Powell, Chief Guide, who, during the past twelve years, lias controlled the destinies of the wide flung Girl Guide movement, and to-day watches over the welfare of nearly one million girls in every quarter of the globe. She is one of the busiest women in the world, and shares with her famous husband the hero worship and devotion of thousands of young New Zealanders.

Lady Badun-Powell smiled clrarmingly as she greeted official visitors from shore on the deck of the Rangitata this evening. Passengers on the liner spoke admiringly of her immense enthusiasm and irrepressible energy, referring to her as “the most popular woman on the ship.” 11l addition to her own duties in connection with the Girl Guide movement, she helped her husband with his work as Chief Scout, vet always had a few moments and a kind word for her fellow passengers. “I have been very busy helping my husband with his book ” Lady BudenPowell said. This volume, which is to embody an account of the Chief Scout’s life, is nearing completion, and during the voyage from England Lady Baden-Powcll lias been typing from her husband’s dictation. _ The Chief Guide referred enthusiastically to the romantic growth of the Girl Guide movement, which, from small beginnings in 1910, had grown into the widest of all organisations for girls, embracing to-day 800,000 young people in nearly every country in the world. “Our membershin leaps up by an average of 50,000 every year,” she said. “The movement has been extended recently to Norway Sweden, and Denmark. It has gone to Palestine, and we are now very strong in Egypt. In India, the movement lias taken on wonderfully, and we have the highest expectations of the good it will do in that huge country, whose women are now waking up from the backward state in which they have lagged so long.” The Girl Guide movement in India was applying much the same methods as those used in European countries, for, as Lady .Raden-Powell remarked, “a girl is a girl the world over.” “As an English woman I am naturally most interested in girls of the overseas Dominions,” added the Chief Guide. “They are doing great work in Canada, and the movement is particularly strong in South Africa. That is very significant, because we hope it will exert an influence in bringing women of the two races—British and Dutch—close together. One of the things we are most keen about is the healthy development of children. I could say quite a lot about that, but

E understand New Zealand is an exceedingly healthy country, and your children are brought up healthy as a matter of course.” Lady Baden-Powell said she was looking forward immenselv to meeting the Guides of New Zealand for the first time, and she also expected to gain much pleasure by renewing acquaintance with a large number of New Zealand women whom she met in England.