GIRL GUIDES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21743, 7 March 1934, Page 16

GIRL GUIDES

G(!JtMISSIONjai RETlßEShiotory of movement REMARKABLE EXPANSION Tito retirement of Mrs. W. I?. Wilson,'of Takapnna, from tho position of Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides of New Zealand, is announced. Slio will be succeeded by Miss Ruth Herrick, deputy commissioner, of Hawke's Bay. A decision to move the headquarters of the organisation from Auckland to Hawke's Bay was reported in November at the annual meeting of the Dominion Council of tho movement. In recounting the history of the Girl Guides movement in Ne>v Zealand, Mrs. Wilson said tho beginning was made one evening in the autumn of 1921, when somo six girls called at her residence. " They were strangers and very shy," she stated. " They represented tho girls who had just left school and started business, and they wondered if I could get up a basketball team to keep them fit. Wo got the team going, but I felt more should be done for the girls. They came one evening a week to my home, and we had reading or debating, sewing and anything I thought would help them." At this time Mrs. Wilson obtained a book called " Girl Guiding," and sho was immediately impressed by the fact that it answered the needs of tho girls who were seeking help. It was decided to tako up the movement, and Mrs Wilson commented on the excitement shown by tho girls at tho decision. The Girl Peace Scouts "Soon after this, I was told there were some companies of girls doing these things," Mrs. Wilson added. "They were called tho Girl Peace Scouts. One company was in Epsom, and olio in Devonport. The captain at Epsom was Miss Burgin, and we found we could get such things as badges from Christchurch,. where Colonel Cosgrove and Mrs. Cosgrove had tho headquarters. For a year we fell in line as far as possible in this way, and in May, 1922, I went to England for a trip. In leaving, I told tho girls I would make all inquiries with regard to Girl Guides to see.if. we could become a branch of the Empire movement. When in London,'! visited the guides' headquarters, told my story, and received a great deal of encouragement." Later she received a letter from Lady Baden-Powell inviting her to talk matters o\er, and Mrs. Wilson agreed to inaugurate guiding in New Zealand. "Shortly after Ui.y return, Lady Gun-son,-then Mayoress, called a represent tative meeting of Auckland ladies, and the , matter : was gone into," proceeded Mrs. Wilson. "1 was asked to talk upon what I had heard and seen of the movement, and it was decided there and then that Girl Guiding should start in the Dominion. Lady Gunson formed a committee, and I was made, organising commissioner.* The movement was really inaugurated in 1923, and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1925. The late Mrs. Ely,' as my secretary, travelled with nio right through tho Dominion in 15)24, and we were received with tremendous enthusiasm everywhere. Even Christchurch, : which was the centre of the Girl Peace Scouts, called special meetings at which it Was unanimously agreed to change over to the Empire movement, which stood for bigger things.

Notable Visitors " The result of that,tour meant the enrolment of 1695 girls as guides. Lady Jellicoe, wife of the then GovernorGeneral of" New Zealand, became Dominion president of the movement. The first public gathering of guides was in Government House grounds, when the guides of Auckland formed a guard of honour for Lady Jellicoe on Muj 13, 192-1. Their second appearance was in the Town Hall at a farewell to Lord and Lady Jellicoe in 1925, when Lord Jellicoo presented me with .the Medal of Merit, sent out by the head of the movement, Lady Baden-Powell.'' During 1923 and 1924, Lady Gunson was chairwoman of the executive, Wilson continued, but later resigned for health reasons. Mrs. Wilson was made Chief Commissioner for New Zealand in 1926, and, on another tour of the Dominion, she found the work growing apace. In the same year, the hrst inspection of guides by the new president, Ladv Alice Fergusson, took place at " St. Leonards," Takapuua. Miss Bertens, then head of Foxlese, the home ! of training in England, paid a beneficial visit to the Dominion, and among other helpful visitors was Lady Marioric Dalrvmple. The outstanding event was the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. Her Royal Highness, being a guide,' was especially interested, while the Duke congratulated Mrs. Wilson on the carriage, marching and smartness of tho guides. Service ol Officers

Public appreciation of the movement became apparent, and the work increased tremendously between 1923 and 1929. Mrs. Wilson's health suffered, but she was fortunate in having the services of Mrs. It. M. Tolhurst as. a chairwoman. Tho first deputy chief commissioner was Miss Enid 8011, of W cllington, who resigned in 1932 after signal service. Miss Herrick, of Napier, who had been in England for two years, then became chief guide. The visit of Lord and Lady BadenPowell in 1931 was of tho utmost importance, and they "both expressed satisfaction at the work done. The training homo was opened in 1928, Mrs. Roy Wilson and Mrs. W. R. Wilson presenting Otimai, in tho Wattakeres, to tho Dominion Guides. Between 500 and <OO girls use the homo each year. "In retiring from the movement through ill health, J feci one can rejoice that the work has grpwn so marvellously," stated Mrs. Wilson. "To leave the family niter 12 years, in which the movement lias grown from 20 girls to ] 2,000, is satisfaction indeed. I feel the movement is lucky in the now Chief Commissioner, Miss Herrick. .1 can wish my successor no higher or greater reward for her labours than 1. have had." Mrs. Wilson concluded with a tribute to the interest taken by tho new president, Ladv Blcdisloe.