SCOUT NEWS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16378, 28 June 1927, Page 9

SCOUT NEWS

lly "Scoutmaster’' in tins district the buys have tlieir cadet traimhg to at lend and it .scorns Dial they look upon scouting as a- tiling lor youngw boys. To combat this *Si. Oswald's troop has started rover patrols f<tr boys over lb years id’ ago or boys 1.4 years holding the hirst ( lass Badge, an honor which should be every scout’s aim. Hover scouting is a class very little known to this district and to learn further about it' the writer would advise any hoys interested to attend at Trinity Hall on a Wednesday evening and there is little doubt that once they attend they will be doing so every week. For a start there are two patrols, and let us hope Hint in the near future the tlie number will lie doubled. This week’s art ice will be confined to the scout, law .and no one will doubt that a boy living up to it would be a credit to his parents and himself.

Law 1: A scent’s honor is to be trusted. Tins law is to a scout what a Bible is to a- Jam Cnurl insofar as mak statements is concerned, —for where a scout says “On my honor it is so” then that statement, cannot, he doubled and again if he is put. on his honor to do a certain thing then he will carry it out to the best of Ins ability.

Law 2: A scout is loyal.—He is loyal to Ins lying and to Ins officers and* to Ins parents, Ins country, and bis employers. This means that lie should give of his best to all with no doubts about. Ins duty to them; lie sticks to them through thick and thin aganisr tlmir enemies or any who speak ill of l hem.

Law A Seoul’s duly is Id lie useful and to help others.—Under this a scout can show what lie ts made of. There is no doubt that there is scope to carry tins law out practically every hour of the day. liememhev your promise, “I promise on my honor to do a good turn to somebody every day.,’ Why, you can often walk down tiie main road of your town and see dozens of good turns you can do, only always remember you are a scout and do them; don’t let the opportunity go aheggtng. An instance of how you can he useful is to hand your name in to any public benefit society or institution so that if at any time they need help,—no matter how small, you can be called upon as a scout to do your best. This is only one of the many ways you can carry out, this law.

Law 4 : A scout is a friend to all.— Socially there are scouts in every different class, color, and country, —it is the scout's duty to remember 'that all scouts are brothers, and as such, are friends and equals. There is no doubt that boys in different social standings will read tins and I trust- that the boy who lives under comfortable circumstances will remember that there are many ways ■in which he. can help his less fortunate brother.

Law 5: A scout- is courteous.—What an asset/ it is to any hoy to be courteous. A boy who is polite to all whom be meets gets quickly recognised as a decent person. Some may think that it is just- outside appearance, but study those you know who show politeness and are always considerate to women, children, the aged, cripples, invalids and the like; you will notice that courteousness is not. outside show, but, part of their natui'e —then let it be so with every scout in Poverty Bay. Law 6: A scout is a friend to animals.—A fact that is overlooked Inmost people is that animals are God’s creatures. They are part of hip wonderful creation, as are human beings, and as such should he treated. If animals are. needed for food or are harmful to the community, them kill them—mercifully —(because it is necessary, but how many harmless 'animals are killed for sport alone. It is not so much the killing that is the sport; it is the stalking. Surely that lias a greater appeal if Then, if so, why, he Scouts and indulge in stalking to your heart’s content and then no harm is done. Take everyday life.. You see horses and dogs treated as if they were machines made by man. .No consideration is given them. If they do not do the work required then woe betide them. Therefore," as scouts, it is up to voii to prevent what cruelty you can.

Law 7: A scout obeys orders.— Where anybody in authority, whether he he vour parent, scoutmaster, patrol leader or employer, gives an order see that you do it. at once, lor when you come to think of it you have to do it in the end, so why not get it done im mediately, as it. saves a lot of trouble. Law 8: A scout smiles and whistles under all circumstances.—This is not meant in the literal sense of the words, lor you try to smile and whistle at/- the same time arid see how you get on. What is meant by this law is that you do things checviully whether the job ho one that .you would choose or not. take, for instance, if your close friends are happy-go-lucky how ‘much brighter your life seems than when you mix with people who always have a grouch against somebody or something. K is your friends who help to make your life happy as well as yourself, so remember to keep that smile and you will impart your cheerfulness to lliose you come in contact with. Law 1): A scout is thrifty.—lt is, or rather seems, a hard world when you are financially “broke,so roinenijber when you have a penny or two to spare save it for a rainy day. Take a boy going to work, lie never knows how long his job is going to last, therefore it is up to him to provide that in Iho event of his losing liis mb ho will not be a burden to lus parents and to his country. Always tiy- to remember that no doubt there is a boy less fortunate than yourself and that yon can in many cases do a great deal of good with a little of your savings. During the threat War Hie “Thrifty Man’s Badge’’ was awarded to scouts as an incentive towards saving. Every .scout in order to merit this badge was called upon to prodiice live War Lopn certificates by Ins own personal savings. This scheme, you will - see, tended to serve a dual purpose; it encouraged the scout not only to be thrifty, indeed to show evidence of Ins thrift, but to help another, the greatest of all, Ins King and country in time of need.

Law 10: A scout is clean in thought, word and deed.—The grand finale to the scout laws fin'd the most beautiful—clean in thought, in word and in deed, 'there is a quaint old tYmieso saying which so often has been illustrated by means of a symbol m tho form of three queer monkeys, the first hands to eyes, see no eVll; the second with hands to ears, hear no evil; the third with hands to mouth, speak no evil. The scout would do Well to look upon these images as an illustration of what is required by the tenth law, to remind him that lie should carry with him a determination to he pure, clean minded and manly.