THE BOYS’ BRIGADE

Southland Times, Issue 21577, 15 December 1931, Page 9

THE BOYS’ BRIGADE

FIRST SOUTHLAND (WINTON)

COMPANY.

In. reviewing the progress made during our fourth session, it is gratifying to be able to report a successful year, in spite of the fact that our chaplain, the Rev. H. Hogg, and two lieutenants, Messrs J. W. Clark and C. ■ F. Barham resigned from the company owing to their removal from the district, stated the fourth annual report of the First Southland (Winton) Company of the Boys’ Brigade presented at the annual business meeting of the Win-ton-Lochiel parish of the Presbyterian Church by Captain M. Branks, last Wednesday evening. The Hogg family were made the recipients of a framed enlargement of the First Southland Company and Mr C. F. Barham an autograph book, suitably inscribed and signed by the boys, the report continues. Although Mr Clarke was transferred from Winton early in the year, he has been able to pay us several visits and his official resignation was not received until October 31. He is now captain of the Second Invercargill Company (connected with First Presbyterian Church), while Mr Eric Cowie, an old boy of the First Southland is one of the officers. Mr R. Young was enrolled as a lieutenant to fill the vacancy. The annual demonstration took place in the Sunday School Hall on November 14 and was repeated in the Lochiel Hall the following week. Both concerts were highly successful. Living up to last year’s success, the Winton Company was again to the fore at the annual camp held at Waikouaiti, Otago, during the Christmas week. The First Southland carried off the Best-all-round Company Cup for the second time in succession, and were first and second in the tent competition, first in signalling and in sports, second and third in first aid, second in drill and third in the choir, contest. Corporal E. Hogg won the Grocott Cup for best prepared speech and Private L. Lindsay was junior sports champion. The Winter session commenced on March 20 with a roll call of thirty-six members

—an increase on the previous year. The usual Boys’ Brigade activities were taken and keenness has been shown by the boys right throughout the session. We wish to commend our Lochiel boys on their regular attendance. Every year a week is set apart to raise funds to foster the movement to enrol new companies and Boys’ Brigade week was celebrated from August 2 to August 9. On the Tuesday evening we journeyed to Edendale, where a demonstration was responsible for the formation of a company there. On the Friday we were treated to an interesting lantern lecture by the Salvation Army officers, to whom our thanks are due and the week was brought to a close with a church parade on the Sunday, when the Rev. A. L. Miller delivered an interesting address. The collection cards realized £9 1/9 and the special church collection £2 9/6, a total of £ll 11/3 (the highest for New Zealand), one-third of which was forwarded to Dominion headquarters. In conjunction with the First Invercargill Company a church parade, and at a later date a demonstration were held in the First Church, Invercargill, in connection with the formation of the Second Invercargill Company. A most gratifying development is the growth of the organization in this Dominion. When the First Southland commenced in 1928 there were only three other companies in New Zea- j land —and now there are at least twentytwo, with several more prospective companies. Southland now has seven and a suggestion is forward to form a Southland Battalion.

The Life Boys met throughout the winter months and continue to train a suitable body of recruits for the brigade. A loss was sustained through the departure of Leader Joyce Hogg and the Life Boys made her a small presentation as a token of their esteem. In spite of the many difficulties affecting work among the young to-day, we have cause to thank God for the measure of success achieved by the Boys’ Brigade during the session under review and the Officers’ Council goes forward to the new session with confidence that God will continue to use the Boys’ Brigade for the further advancement of Christ’s Kingdom, among the coming manhood of our own town and of the wider world beyond.