BOY SCOUTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27040, 26 March 1949, Page 8

BOY SCOUTS

LAY WORKERS’ CONFERENCE OPENING ADDRESSES “ I know of no finer movement for the vouth of the community than that which is provided by the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.” said the Mayor, Sir Donald Cameron, at the official opening last night of the second conference of lay workers in the South _ Island of the New Zealand Boy Scouts' Association. The conference, which is being attended by 90 delegates from Marlborough to Southland, is presided over by Mr J. A. Evans, chairman of the Dunedin Local Boy Scouts Association. In his opening remarks Mr Evans referred to the interest shown by Sir Donald in the Boy Scout movement. , ... . . . Sir Donald explained that he had always taken the greatest interest in any movement that had the interests of the youth of the community at heart. He referred to his visit last year to the Boy Scout jamboree at Wanga Park, about 40 miles from Melbourne, where there were 11,000 boys from Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the Pacific present. It was his opinion, Sir Donald added, “ that one of the best things that was done in Otago’s centennial year was the purchase of a large area of land in the Whare Flat district for the Boy Scout and kindred youth movements. “We have had a very sincere welcome,” said the Dominion president, Mr Hector Christie, of Wanganui, in his reply. “We are just humble folk trying to do a job, but our hiimbleness does not obscure the fact that it is a worth-while job we are doing. Scouting could only be done properly when -older people took a hand in the administration, and they were living in an age when Scouting was more important than ever before. Scouts met a good deal of opposition, and at present persons propagating certain ideas, ideologies and philosophies were very active. To counter them, the Scouting movement would also have to be very active. An address was given by Dr F W. Mitchell, of Dunedin. Dr Mitchell, who is president of the Otago County, was at one time a member of _ the Australian Boy Scouts’ Association’s training team. The conference will continue to-day, when a large number of remits will be considered. To-morrow after oon a trip has been arranged to the Whare Flat Boy Scout camp, and the conference will conclude at night. The Dominion headauarters is represented by Mr H. Seddon Hills, of Wellington.