BOY SCOUTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2935, 15 June 1910, Page 69

BOY SCOUTS.

The weekly meeting of the North Dunedin No 2 Troop was held in the Moray place school gymnasium on Wednesday night, under Scoutmaster Carr, and there was a good attendance. Inspector Newlands, Commander Jones, Chief-scout-master Carr, and Mr Holderness were also present. Inspector Ne'wlands examined the boys in the first portion of the second class Scouts’ test. The weekly meeting of the Rcslyn and Maori Hill battalion was held in Washer’s Hall on Friday, 3rd inst, there being a fair attendance under Chief-scoutmaster Dredge. The Scouts were instructed in ambulance work by Mr Slater, while other sections received instruction in knotting, signalling, composition of Union Jack, etc. The Chief-scoutmaster swore in four new hoys who were instructed in stave-drill. As the weather was unsuitable for an outjng on Saturday, indoor games were played in the hail, while a semaphore signalling test was held. In connection with this troop. Chief-scoutmaster Dredge has commenced a new scheme, which is meeting with great success. Every Saturday a patrol is detailed to do good turns to all and sundry, the boys to return and report at the given time. On Saturday the seal patrol, under Leader Garden, was detailed to do as many good turns as possible. At 4.30 the boys returned with a very favourable report. A sergeants’ club has also been formed, and held its opening meeting recently in the form of a social. A highly interesting programme was submitted and met with great success. The West Harbour battalion, under Messrs Levido and Wilkinson, held its weekly meeting on Tuesday evening. There were 30 members present, and, a splendid night’s work of ambulance, signalling, etc., was gone through. At the close of the evening 20 minutes were expended in gymnastics. D. Keilet has been appointed sergeant-major, in place of N. Levido, who has resigned. The following is the list of junior officers:—No. 1 troop, Sergeant E. Levido; Leaders, N. Levido (Seagulls) •. F. Boswell (Kangaroo!: and G. Baird (Stag). No. 2 troop. Sergeant H. Connor ; Leaders W. Hicks (Wolf!, and Eric Levido (Lion). On Friday evening the St. Clair troon held its weekly meeting in the School Hall under Scout-master Williams, The work for the evening was whistle signals, general. and physical drill. Saturday beingwet, the Scouts proceeded to the hall, where’ arm and staff signals, physical drill, first aid, knot-tying, and signalling were indulged in. The district commander paid a visit to the South Dunedin troop on Wednesday nio-ht. The Scouts’ display at the football carnival was a great success, and the boys deserve credit for the manner in which they acquitted themselves. It is proposed to hold, at an early date, an entertainment for the purpose of raising funds for the carrying on of the movement here. There is shortly to be held a meeting of working boys with a view to forming a. troop. The export patrol held a very successful meeting recently. Arrangements are being made for a talk on “ How to run a patrol, to be followed by a discussion. It is also hoped to make definite arrangements for a series of football matches between the various battalions. A MORNINGTON TROOP. The first-fruits of a movement to form a “ battalion ” of Boy Scouts in Mornington was a meeting at St. Mary’s Hall last night. Mr J. F. Arnold, M.P., presided, and among the officers present were District Commander Jones, District Secretary R. Arthur, Chief Scoutmater Dredge, and Mr F. Holderness. Mr Arnold said how pleased he was to take the chair on such an occasion. When the corps was formed a large number of Mornington boys would join immediately. Mornington should not be behindhand in this movement. _ He had studied the question of defence in its various phases, and was pleased with this Scout movement. The Empires of the past had matured and faded, but this was unnecessary, and they had resolved that our Empire should never reach old age. The best fighters, as a rule, did not want to fight. England did not wish to fight: she merely wished to defend herself and her dominions. Preparedness for war was a Siafeguard for peace. He _ was glad to see his hearers bearing their part while still so young. Fie congratulated them, and wished the Mornington Scouts a success as great as had attended the movement elsewhere.— (Applause.) The District Commander drew a parallel between young life and putty for pliability. Passing to the object of the movement, he said Scouts had to do many things they did not like—go about bare-kneed, for instance. There were 6000 Scouts in New Zealand. America was going in for half a million. The Scout system gave boys backbone and an all-round physical training. Education did not finish with school life. The movement taught reading, writing, arithmetic, swimming, signalling, judging heights and distances, and sketching localities. In the British army a Scout must have pluck, sobriety, intelligence, self-reliance, physique, good eyesight, sharp hearing, and an aptitude for languages. The Boy Scout had. of course, not got quite so far as that The St. John Ambulance Brigade* was doing a wonderful work among the Scouts, who were taught to be useful in other ways. The aim of the movement was to turn out first-class boys, who as first-class men must be assets to the Dominion. The District Secretary said every boy should have an ambition. He had had two —to be a soldier or a drummer. At 18 he joined the SeafortH Highlanders. He was then sft Sin. When he left he was sft 9Un. This was the result of the fourhours a day gymnastics. From South Africa he went to Egypt, thence to India. On his arrival in New Zealand he joined the Garrison Band, and also began to take an interest in the Scout movement, which had been a great success. When he first joined the army he could neither light a fire nor boil a kettle. Manx a meal had

he lost on first joining because he had neither been able to forage for it nor to cook it. A Scout was taught _ these things, with the important addition of keeping cool under all circumstances. He had great pleasure in introducing Mr Holderness, a man of great military experience, who was going to take over the Scoutmastership of Mornington. A troop was formed.