DOMINION BOY SCOUTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19495, 26 November 1926, Page 13

DOMINION BOY SCOUTS

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S AID. "A LABOUR OF LOVE." SUPPORT OF CITIZENS WANTED. [BY telegraph.- own correspondent.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. The annual meeting of the Dominion Bov Scon's Council was held to-day, His Excellency (ho Governor-General, Sir Charles bYrgusson, Dominion Chief Scout, presiding. Brigadier-General Andrew, honorary f ]iief commissioner, Christchurch, expressed pleasure at the fart that "His Excellency had consented to preside over the meeting. "We believe," f-.aid Genera! Andrew. addressing His Excellency, "that jjn predecessor in your distinguished office hiis excelled, or even equalled, Your Excrlle/H'V in tiie sincere sympathy and the tremendous effort?, vnu have made on beji iif iif tlie youth of the Dominion. Wherever you <t<> we see you taking the trouble ;,■, visit the sr'-.ools to address the 'hi 1(Inn. But, sir, we believe the scout moveI,sent is closer to your heart than any other phase of youths' work in the Dominion." His Excellency, in reply, said ho was ©nlv too pleased to help on the movement. Referring to the activities of the past rear, General Andrew said the outstanding event, was Hie concentration of scouts at Dnnedin. in which practically every district and country troop participated. There had been a record of steady progress in all directions. During the past four rears the movement had grown from 3400 to 8000 members. There was .considerable improvement in connection with the sea scout department. There were excellent sea scout companies at Auckland, Wellington, Nelson and Lyttelton, but there were too many seaside, lake or river places where there were none. He had promised Lord .Tellicoe that the association would vet have 1000 sea scouts. He again asked all commissioners to give this matter serious consideration. The scout movement in New Zealand, said General Andrew, in conclusion, was now on a better footing than he had ever known it, but it could still be carried to greater heights. There was no reason why the movement should not be the finest in the British Empire. "Any little help I can give to the boy scout movement is given absolutely as a labour of love," said Sir Charles Fergusson, "because I am interested personally in it. I see in the boy scout movement and girl guide movement a great factor for good, not only in this country and the Empire, but in the world at large." The scout movement was well established all over the world. He was quite sure that if the backs of scouts were put into the movement it would be of great benefit to the country. It had been a great pleasure to him, wherever he had been, to see all the scouts and the work the district commissioners and scouts were doing. He was always willing to try and lend a helping hand. "Our great wish," concluded His Excellency, "is to work in with the citizens and to get their support, because we recognise that a movement like this, to be of any use at all, must have the weight of public opinion behind it." LARGE INCREASE IN PERSONNEL. STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION. An increase of nearly 30 per cent, in all ranks is recorded in the eighteenth annual report of the New Zealand Boy Scouts' Association. The total strength of the association is now 8007, including 1855 recruits enrolled during the twelve months ended September 30. The report states the most progressive city district last year was Wellington, which has added 1200 hoys to its strength in two years and is still progressing. Of the country districts, Wanganui, Gisborne and Central Hawke's Bay were deserving of special mention. Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Bulls and country troops all showed increases which were mainly due to the enthusiasm and energy of district commissioners and troop committees. "By the exercise of rigid economy in all items of expenditure, we now find ourselves in a much sounder financial position than for some years," the report states. "It must be remembered this is due in very large measure to the fact that our Dominion Chief Commissioner, Brigadier-General A. W. Andrew, has given his services to the movement gratuitously for the past three years, therefore the association is largely indebted to him." The balancesheet shows assets £2472 17s 9d and no liabilities. Cash in banks and in reserve amounts to £2046 19s 7d. "There is no doubt the movement is now upon a more stable foundation than ever before, due to Dominion headquarters insisting upon the establishing of a troop committee before the services of a troop can be accented." says the report. * "Definite instructions are issued to all who are desirous of forming • a troop, and only when these conditions are carried out is one allowed to commence. "Representative citizens on the spot recommend the scoutmaster sind In® assistants, take charge of troop finance and property, and assist to enlist the sympathy of the public in providing instruction and examiners, and also keep an eye upon the troop affairs generally. There is no clearer proof of this interest in the movement by adult citizens than the large numbers of troop committee members who have attended the troop annual camps. Sea scouting had not gone ahead ns rapidly as had been hoped, the total roll falling from 222 to 155. due chieflv to the disbandment of the Surnner-Red-rliffs Troop, Christchurch. Owing to the sudden departure from New Zealand of Lieut.-Commander A. N. Teb'os, R.N.. Commissioner of Sea Scouts, the annual inspection for the Sea Scout Trident was postponed, and the trophy would remain with the Iron Duke Troop in Nelson until the inspection next year. No new troops were formed during the year, although a sea patrol was organised in Auckland, and there were indications of a troon heincr formed at Wanganui. Reference is made to the great interest in the movement taken bv the GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Fergusson. since his arrival in New while Rotary e'inhs in various centres, esneeiaUv Auckland, were giving valuable assistance.