BOY SCOUTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7451, 27 May 1911, Page 13

BOY SCOUTS

[By Scoutmaster.] ! Kotb of t-lif* doingb of patrols In tho Wellington province art? invited by "Scout* roister/' caro of the* .s.//. Times." if tin? movement is to advance, too much pub* • lioity cannot bp given to the work being accomplished by its means. All communications muat bear the name and uddross of the render. WELLINGTON EXECUTIVE. Citizen Members—pr Newman, J. G. W. Aitken, W. 9Moorhouso. 0. J. Crawford. F. W. Kuitt orfard; K. M. Carter, hon. secretary. F Balcombc Brown, treasurer. E. N. McLeod, commander; L. Logan, inspector; and ti^o , u E. Lawsuit. G. X'. Goioneus. and Ui i nu Kemp. Battalion Commanders— Western: Chief BcoutmasUir Lawsoo. Southern: Chief Scoulmaetor U- Woodwaru. Central: Chief Scoutmaster ,w,el? Buburbs: Chief Scoutmaster Chapped. ii. i-awstm and 0. P. Uoloueu, GOOD MANNKItS. Sir John Madden, who Is at the head of Iho Scout movement m V ictoria. »<- drcosiiiK a meeting or Scouts at .vteibourue recently, reuinrked: One inaj say with the utmost lack of reserve of any sort (hat there is probably “» more important movement in Australia, at any rale amongst the very young people, than this .Scout movement. -the reason is that wo have the matings ot laou aft good as the world will hnu anywhere, but a man, no hmtter bow good be may be, may very easily go wrong und lose his sell’-respect, and bp a no, gradation to himself. hm people, and his country, Everything that helps to train tho man as well as the mind is valuable. What wo want is a body ot upright men, self-respecting, cotirageous. who know what moral responsibility is, and who live up to it, and, what is jiiosfc importaut of all, who know the value of good maimers. (Applause.) Tli men currv a stoek-in-tradc useful ail the world over. It does not matter bow a young man is .supplied in pocket, if he Is a man of excellent manners and upright character he lias a passport that carries him throughout the world, und helps him to gain the sell-respect of everybody. You owe a good deal to the self-sacrifice of the Scout masters, who havo given up so much time and tlonn such u lot to lift up the movement to th© position it occupies. To bo comuanions and comrades to each other, and to do ill times of peace those things you would do in time of war, will make you well-set-up men, and make you look every man in the face. There is one feature I will commend to you with great confidence. As soon as you have passed your time ns little Boy what amounts to the ABC ot business, add have grown to the verge of manhood, your knowledge of § the game and your sense of responsibility are still to oe retained for tho Scout movement.

ENROLMENT. The monthly reports of commanders to hand show that they experience the same difficulties as Hie Dominion headquarters in' petting in regular and methodical returns (says Vedette ). Seven reports from provinces lor the month of April show that thirteen new commissions have been. issued* that there are fewer ap> nations for enrolment as Boy Scout Cadets than were expected, ancl that there is a very generally expressed opinion that the Senior Cadet movement is likely to injure the Boy Soont movement very seriously. The attitude of tho defence officers in some of the districts is given as the reason for this, tho antagonism of some schoolmasters In others, and the general apathy of parents and the desire on tho part of many boys to do as little as possible of their own free will is tho most general reason given by officers for this state of things. If parents would only wake up before it is too lato and mako their sons join the Boy Scout movement, they would never regret it. Their boys' morals, honour, truthfulness and general manliness would be looted after; drink, tobacco and gambling discouraged; class prejudices abolished, and an, army of peace-loving, independent and handy men trained to use their eyes, ears and hands in promoting the arts of peace, in conjunction with the smattering of military training which the law of our land has laid down for every youth would be produced. Probably the present crusade of passive resistance to military enrolment which is being advocate! I** through the press of the Dominion is no small factor in preventing many boys enrolling as Boy Scout Senior Cadets. BOT SCOUTS IN FRANCE. A national committee has been formed to study the applicability to France of General Baden-Powell’s Boy Scout movement. A troop of Scouts is actual, ly in being among the working boys of Crenelle. Local committees are being formed in other districts of Paris. The internationalisation of this peace force is not absent from the minds of its founders. MOUNTED SCOUTS. A striking development of tho Boy Scout movement in Saskatchewan, Canada, is the organisation of mounted cadets. Dive troops of volunteer boys between the ages of 14 and 17 have been formed, and yearly encampments, in which the boys undergo all the routine drill of standard cavalry corps, are held. There i« no doubt, says an authority on the subject, but that the passing to and fro across the prairie of members of the Royal North-West Mounted Police

Eorco has had much to <lo with firing the ambition of (lie Canadian lads who have volunteered for this Scout service, Every boy in Western Canada, either has an Indian pony of his; own or is happily able to borrow one lor scouting and its necessary drill.

CORONATION CE J -El3 RAT lONS. Tho Boy Scouts of Wellington aro i nothing if not patriotic, au<l will n\\ some fitting way murk tho occasion oi [ lljo Coronation of his Majesty. A.s the}' are altso members of junior and senior cadet companies in many instances, there will be no parade when these companies are called out, much as it may be desired. Kim,' Oforgo bs shown his appreciation of the keen work put in by Boy Scouts. Will a Wellington troop secure the distinction of becoming tho King’s Troop in New Zealand. Why not ? INSPECTORS. Lieutenant Mact’arlane, who has been appointed Chief Inspector, is recovering from a slight illness. Chiet Scoutmaster Woodward Ims been ’ appointed an inspector in addition to Inspectors Colouen.s and Lawson. It is the scouts' duty to keep the inspectors busy. THE EXHIBITION. Every scout wiio visits the exhibition should learn -all lie can about what ho sees, and pay best attention to the various exhibits. ilo should not be satisfied unless lie finds how things are done, and what tho objects of the exhibition aro. There aro to bo some scout items in the Stadium, probably two, such as first aid and signalling, at an early date, and a number of items in conjunction with another body sorao time in July. Then there are the competitions for the Crawford Cup, tho conditions for which aro in tho hands of the scoutmasters. , After these aro two competitions* first aid and bridge-building (with stave*, etc.), under the auspices of the Now Zealand Competitions Society', in October, and also x >ro ” posed field day competitions. TIIORN.DON TROOP. Tho troop spent all last Saturday in levelling off the site of their proposed wharo in the hush. Very good progress was made by tho amateur navvies, and although the work will not bo hurried. It is hoped that it will bo complete in the early spring, when, some really good scouting is anticipated. • At Wednesday s meeting splicing was practised. On " Thursday morning early the members of the football team met at tho Spring, and had a paper chase for about an hour; This form of training will be held verv frequently from now on, so as 10 have tho players in good nick for tho matches. The troop meets this morning at tho Spring, at 9 o’clock, and proceeds lo tho .site of the whare to put in some more work towards its completion. Those who aro unable to be there at 9 a.m. will be mot by the assistant scoutmaster at 2 p.m.

MOUNT VICTORIA. The Mount Victoria troop hold their weekly meeting on Thursday night. Second-class badges were presented to Patrol Leader Prince and Scouts Cudley and Godtschalk, and service stars to Patrol Leader Prince and Scout Puller by Scoutmaster A. Macdonald. During the evening Scoutmaster Perkins, who is leaving for Auckland shortly, was presented with a scout's "Badge of Thanks," as a small token of the troop's esteem. Scoutmaster Macdonald, in making tho presentation on behalf of the troop, touched upon tho chief points in Mr Perkins’s carter as scoutmaster of tho Mount Victoria Scouts. The troop was visited by the district commander and Assistant Scoutmaster Robson, late of Dunedin.. At tho conclusion of the meeting three hearty cheers were given for the commander and Scoutmaster Perkins. BOYS’ INSTITUTE TROOP. Tho troop paraded, in fair numbers on Friday night and the programme _ for the ensuing quarter was briefly outlined by the chief scoutmaster. Points are to be awarded for attendance, appearance on parade, good turns, new members brought and instructed in tenderfoot tests, progress in efficiency of patrols (to bo decided ;by badges held), patrol contests, etc. All the above to count towards quarterly patrol prize, the individual scores to bo also kept for efficiency prize to be awarded best all round scout at the close of tho year. After a brief talk on " Tracking, three contests were held, as follow: "Spotting the tape," Scout Murphy (Otter Patrol), first, cup; McCabe, also of Otter Patrol, second; " Altering Sign." Scout MoCarlio (Otters), first. This was a good contest, and no ono succeeded in the first trial, but over half the troop were successful when tho test was given a second time. The third contest was called " Footmarks.” The bootsoles of ono patrol were examined by the others, who then retired. One scout then stepped in a pan of earth, and the others being recalled, wore to tell whose footmark it was. The first two patrols failed, and the soles of those named were compared with tho one which had made the mark and the difference pointed out. Leader Howard, of the Kangaroos, was the first to win the game and cup. Hall, same patrol, and Scout McCarlio (Otters! also were successful. It was announced that Sergeant-major W. S. Pointon had won the prize for tho most efficient scout last year, and that Leaders Barras and Morgan were also very efficient. •