AN IMPOSING RALLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21267, 23 February 1931, Page 2

AN IMPOSING RALLY.

BOY SCOUTS AND GIRL GUIDES MESSAGE FROM PRINCE OF WALES. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 22. A great Boy Scout and Girl Guide rally was held in the Domain yesterday in honour of the visit of Lord BadeuPowell, The 10,000 boys and girls on parade gave a magnificent display of marching, Scoutcraft, and tableaux of historic events in New Zealand history. Messages from the Prince of Wales, Princess Mary, and the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe) to the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides of New Zealand were read by Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. The Prince of Wales wrote to Lord Baden-Powell as follows:—“ My dear Chief Scout, I have had the good fortune to have visited all the British overseas dominions in my time, and in each of them I have been glad to see the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides on a promising foundation and possessing very much the same standard of efficiency as their brothers and sisters in the Old Country. My hope is that in all parts of the Empire they will go on developing, not only in numbers and scoutcraft, but also in that grand spirit of goodwill and courage which I saw so wonderfully shown by those gallant fathers and elder brothers who fought in the Great War. I desire that you will give to the Scouts and the Guides my cordial greetings and best wishes.” , / Princess Mary’s message was as follows:—“ May I take this opportunity of sending by the Chief Guide my warmest greetings to the Guides and Brownies of New Zealand? lam always immensely glad to hear news of guiding in your country, and I know that the movement has made splendid progress during these last few years. It is a very great pleasure to us in England to meet New Zealand Guides, and I hope that we may have the pleasure of welcoming many more. I hope that the future will bring much happiness and success to you ,all.” The message from the Governor-General extended cordial greetings. “The New Zealand Boy Scouts and Girl Guides,” he telegraphed, “ are a great asset to the Dominion in promoting those qualities of enterprise, resourcefulness, self-denial, and self-respect which so singularly characterised tile Oarly pioneers, and without which no nation can maintain its vigour and prosperity.” Lord Baden-Powell said he had replied to his Excellency, stating that the “ pluck, virility and resourcefulness of New Zealand people in the earthquake area had earned world-wide admiration, and it was the hope of Lady Baden-Powell

and himself to reproduce those qualities in the young through Scouting and guiding.” Lord and Lady Baden-Powell left for Rotorua to-day. REMARKS BY CHIEF SCOUT. (Special to Duty Times.) AUCKLAND, February 22. Lord Baden-Powell had some new advice to give to the Boy Scouts of New Zealand. Addressing them, he recalled a number of New Zealanders he had seen on active service, describing them as courageous, brave, and, above all, gentlemen. He once asked a small Wolf Cub for his definition of “gentleman,” and the lad replied, “A gentleman is a bloke what has to keep his toe-nails clean.” “That Wolf Cub had a good idea about it.” commented the Chief Scout, amid laughter. “He did not look upon a gentleman' as a man with a lot of money, a motor car, and good clothes, but as a clean man at any rate. A gentleman like the New Zealand soldiers who fought in the war was an honourable man, and he did not tell lies whether he had money or not. You young follows and you young girls will come on just like your fathers and mothers before you,” said the Chief Scout —“ brave, courageous, and, above all, gentlemen. So I say to you, be gentlemen and keep your toe-nails clean.”— (Laughter.)