SCOUT JAMBOREE

Southland Times, Issue 22490, 26 January 1935, Page 9

SCOUT JAMBOREE

ATMOSPHERE OF GOODWILL. AMERICAN VISITOR’S PRAISE. International frontiers were dissolved in an atmosphere of brotherly goodwill among the 10,000 Boy Scouts who attended the recent jamboree at Melbourne held as part of the Centenary celebrations, said Mr F. C. Henderson, educational director of the Seattle Area Council controlling the scout movement in that territory.- He is leader of the American delegation of 10 scouts which arrived at Wellington this week by the Monowai from Sydney on the way back to the United States of America.

Seven of the party, said Mr Henderson, were from the Seattle district', and the other three were from Pennsylvania, California, and Wisconsin. The boys had already made a comprehensive tour before reaching Australia. They spent eight days in Japan and another eight in and round Shanghai, where they met the Chief Scout of China. A few days were passed profitably at Hong Kong, and one day at Manila where the party joined forces with three scouts from Hong Kong, who were also on the way to the jamboree.

“We were tremendously impressed with the hospitality of Australian people,” said Mr Henderson, “and with the efficiency of the arrangements. I attended the world jamboree in England in 1929 and wonderful as that was, I think the Melbourne event was equally as well conducted and as interesting. The camp organization was very fine. We met scouts of Asia, Europe, and the British Dominions as brothers. t For us, there was nd difference of nationality. One of our main parts in the jamboree was an exhibition of light-weight mountaineering equipment.” Mr Henderson mentioned that the party would visit the Waitomo Caves and Rotorua, and would camp on the way north before joining the ship, at Auckland for their return to the United States by way of Samoa, Fiji, and Hawaii. They were anxious to see more of New Zealand Boy Scouts, as they had been impressed by the fine bearing of the Dominion detachment at the jamboree. The Chief - Scout, Lord Baden-Powell, was an inspiration to all who had attended the jambore,?. “I am glad to say he is in good health, said Mr Henderson.