THE BOY SCOUTS

Southland Times, Issue 17304, 28 March 1913, Page 7

THE BOY SCOUTS

THEIR NUMBERS AND - PROGRESS. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 27. Writing to the Press Lieutenant-Col. Cossgrove, Chief Dominion Scout, says: "At no time in the history of the movement in the Dominion has there been so much activity among the Scouts, or so many new lads becoming Scouts, as there has been during the last nine months. Since July last no fewer than 2000 new boys have become Boy Scouts, and a reference to my register shows that over 220 Scout officers have been registered during the same time. There are probably In this Dominion at the present moment upwards of 16,000 Boy Scouts, and 1600 gentlemen are engaged In tbe'.r training, or assisting In their management. If you take into account our small population I think you will admit that New Zealand stands well in the scout world. We have also established Dominion Sea Scouts. and “Ships’ Companies” or "Boats’ Crews,” have been formed at Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton. Wellington, Napier, Gisborne, Auckland, Whangarei, * and Russell. During the past month I have registered no fewer than twelve new scout districts, and so keen have some of the boys become that both in the North Island and in the South, individuals who are situated In isolated places have asked me for permission to form "Lone Scouts." This does not look like a falling off of interest, nor justify the statement that the "Boy Scout Movement appears unfortunately not to be making much progress in New Zealand,”