THE BOY SCOUTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15350, 13 January 1912, Page 7

THE BOY SCOUTS.

Bt Scoot. Bcodt trill bo pleased to roocir* new fiwa Scoutmasters or ScouU, or (rora tny person interested in the Boy Scont movement, for insertion in this column; contributions addressed to Scout to reach this nffico lwtoro Thursday eronina. Cablegrams to hand stato that tho Gcnoral has loft England on his trip to America, Australia, ami Now Zealand, and thenco to South Afrka. It is probable, therefore, that ho will arrivo in tho Dominion much earlier Ulan ho anticipated. .Seoutmasteis and others will havo little enough tune to got ready for his visit. _ The Linwood Troop of Boy Scouts dur- | ing tho past fortnight has hold a very \ successful camp in Uio New Brighton Domain, under tho suporviaon of Scoutmasters CJiinnery ajul Poster. Tho camp, which broko tip on Thursday last, wan productive of ramo excellent work and tho lieldwork done was very beneficial to tho lads, who do not often havo tho opportunity of indulging in eo much practical work. On Now Year's ■ live a • church parade was held at tho Now Brighton Methodist Church, and in the afternoon the camp wat) thrown open to visitors, a large ninnber of whom" expressed their appreciation of tho work done and tho way in which tho camp was conducted. Tho Chief Scout proposes to tako a volo of the Scout officors on tho question of admitting boys to tho movement at tho ago of nine yearn, such boys from nino to 11 or 12 to ho called Junior Boy fkoujii, Jo \y> dressed in a diffcront uniform, and to 'no officered by qualified leaders promoted from the Hoy Scouts. Then loadors would be commissioned as Junior Arewtant Scoutmasters, mid bo under tho Hiporvision of the SooiitinasttT in whoso district tbo troop was raised. This would soouro a largo nu/ilwr of boys who aro at present dobarred from joining tho movement, and it would bo an incentive to the senior boys to remain in the movement and to quality for tho position nf Junior Afsistant Scoutmasters. Moreover, wlhen there was a public demonstration at which tho Junior Cadcta wcro called out our Junior Boy Scouts would not bo compelled' lo stay away from the Scout parade as they aro now by the Scoubnastoro. They would havo a full inustor, awl tfius ciicourago their officers lo take them out. Thcso boys would parade as .luiiior Hoy Scouts and not with the older toys, so that tlioro ronld l*> no question of introducing " kids " into their ranks; while the rivalry between the tv.o would he helpful to Itoth and tho odds probably woukl bo in favour of tho little fellows. For many months past there has boon a controversy running through the columns of tho London Headquarters Gazetlo on this 'iiicitioii. The arguiiiunts brought forward seume<l lo provo that tho ago of admittance should bo raised instead of lowered, and consequontlv tho council docided to raise the ago ono year and admit I»o)k only uftor tltuy litul |«ssed thoir eleventh birthday. A very largo number of Scoutmasters, however, ar;ru«id that this was u iniistolto, for in thoif oxperienco | they found that boys who woro admitted i nt nine years of ago were keener, mora , iiM|ire«:onahio, more amenablo to discii pliue. and moro likely to remain in thomovoi metit than boy» who wexo not admitted till Jl3 or 14. An article by ScouUiMurtor F. | Wilson Baggally in tho Gazotto will bo j read with interest and sympathy by many ; of our New Zealand SooutuijaU'rt, but it I will at tho sareu timo be admitted that hia | arguments hafre not tho sarnie forco horo I that they have at Home, repcoally sinco j our Defence Act has been passed. It may I bo taken for granted that wo snail now loso ;75 per cent, of our senior Iwt». Thoy • iiiwt put in tho required number of parades per annum. These will tako up : all, or iwarly all, thoir spare timo, bo of j nociwily thoy must drop out. General ■ Godlry considers that the wnior bovs can quite easily be fr.uior CadetH and , &out* as well, but he is evidently una.waro i of our (Miditions. or he would never expect i ii. Some months ago. during a confor- . i-iico with tho Salvation Army officers, j Brigadier All)i«ton asked him what amount I of tiie compulfory work his senio.r boys | who were Boy Scouls would escaiio. Tbo : Gc;;(ira! answered, " None." Thoy aro Senior Cadets first; they may bo Boy Seoui-i afterwards. That reply was tho deathblow to the Solvation Army's oflarU To-day there Is little or no attempt put forth rv the Arrnv to capluro thcao boys ' fo: the inovrment, for it knows boUor than . any of ils ibat as soon as tho compulsory | parn/ks foinir.omv! ifac boys will be lost Ito it. Truo, tho Dominion Chief has I secured tho right for senior boys to parado i as Boy S<<nnt Cadets and in Boy Scout kit j provided by tho Government; but unless I they have timo to jnoet as Scouts and | oomo undor tl>e influence of tho organaation tm* privilogo will he only a nonarjol ' ono.