BOYS’ BRIGADE

Southland Times, Issue 22783, 8 January 1936, Page 6

BOYS’ BRIGADE

SOUTIILAND-OTAGO BATTALIONS. COMBINED CAMP AT KAKA POINT. The annual camp of the Southland and Otago battalions of The Boys’ Brigade was held at Short Bay, Kaka Point, South Otago, from December 26 to January 3, when some 130 boys and 30 officers spent a most profitable' and happy time under canvas. The camp which was under the command of Mr A. Mervyn Branks, with Mr F. H. Lambeth as adjutant, included representatives from 9 Southland companies and 11 Otago companies while a member of the Ist Canterbury (Pleasant Point) Company was also present. The Otago Old Boys’ Band did much to ensure the success of the camp. The boys were housed in 18 bell tents, the officers occupied nine tents, and there were also two mess marquees, an orderly tent, hospital marquee, stores marquee, canteen and cookshop. The main body of campers arrived on the site by noon on December 26 and after lunch the camp was erected. By five o’clock everything was in shipshape order and in the evening a welcome and a sing song in the huge marquee brought the first day to a close. On the Friday the regular routine commenced as follows: 6.30, orderlies; 7, reveille; 7.15, flag raising, morning prayers; 7.55, first mess call, parade before tents; 8, breakfast; 8.30 officers’ mess; 9.0, sick parade; 9.15 inspection of boys; 9.30, tent inspection, study circle groups; 10, company and battalion drill; 11, swimming parade; 12.25, first mess call; 12.30, lunch; 2, organized sports; 5.25, first mess call; 5.30, dinner; 6.30, sports; 8, retreat and flag lowering, evening entertainment; 9.0, sick parade; 9.30, first post, biscuits and cocoa; 10, last post; 10.15, lights out. Each day special orders for the day were also issued. The squad drill competition was held on Friday morning, the judge being Mr J. S. Skinner, of Dunedin. Five squads entered and the results were as follows.— 2nd, Invercargill (First Church) 90.5 per cent. 1 Ist Southland (V/inton), 90 2 Ist Dunedin (Caversham), 89 3 Also competed: 4th Dunedin and 11th Dunedin. On Saturday morning the first aid contest was conducted by Dr H. R. Gibson, of Invercargill, and Dr. D. G. Radcliffe, of Balclutha. Six teams entered and the examiners expressed satisfaction at the high standard reached. The results were: — Drill Practi- Oral Tl. cal (20) (40) (40) (100)

Also competed: 11th Dunedin 68, 10th Dunedin 66, 4th Dunedin 61. At 6.30 p.m. the signalling competition was held, the examiners being Captains F. Carter and A. Vivian. Three stations contested the event but only two finished in the allotted time, the Ist Southland team defeating Ist Dunedin by the narrow margin of 1 point. At 8 p.m. the choir contest was judged by Mr Marcus T. Jackman, of Romahapa, and resulted in a win for the 4th Dunedin. Results.— 4th Dunedin (Kensington), 80pts 1 12th Dunedin (Maori Hill), 75pts 2 Ist Dunedin, 69pts 3 Also competed: 4th Invercargill, Ist Southland. On the Sunday morning a full dress ■ parade was held to Kaka Point Hall where the service was conducted by the local Presbyterian Church, the Rev. F. McDonald occupying the pulpit. The Old Testament lesson was read by Captain F. H. Carter and Lieut. A. R. Malcolm took the New Testament reading, while the camp O.C. gave an address on The Boys’ Brigade. The Rev. Mr McDonald took as his subject “Loyalty” and preached a real boys’ sermon. The campers sang “Will your anchor hold?” following the offertory and Private G. Downie rendered “The Jubilee Song.” In the evening a camp service was conducted by the officers when several lads took a definite stand for their Great Captain, Jesus Christ. Camp Concert. The camp concert was held in the Kaka Point Hall on Monday evening before an overcrowded house. The various branches of 8.8. activities presented and the vocal, band, and elocutionary items were fully appreciated by the large audience. Afterwards the campers were entertained at supper. Tuesday being New Year’s Eve, the afternoon was spent in building a huge bonfire on a nearby hill and the glare of the fire at night lit up the camp and provided suitable commemoration for the occasion—the welcoming of the new year, 1936. Review Day. New Year’s Day was a full one for the camp. After tent inspection the battalion assembled in four companies and were inspected by Colonel A. E. Stewart, C.M.G., D. 5.0., late BrigadierGeneral N.Z.R.8., of Milton, assisted by Mr Peter McSkimming, of Benhar. The review and march past was held at 10.30, before a large attendance of interested spectators, after which the camp was subjected to an inspection. The colonel praised the condition of the camp and said of the six 8.8. camps he had been privileged to visit, the present was the best. He gave a talk to the boys on “service” and urged them to be soldiers on the side of the Lord. The camp officers then entertained all the local folk who had assisted the camp, at dinner. Messrs P. McSkimming, M. Jackman, and others returned thanks. In the afternoon there was general leave to attend the Port Molyneux sports. The playette competition was held in the evening, the Rev. Mr McDonald being the judge. The results were.— Ist Dunedin, 75pts 1 4th Dunedin, 68pts 2 10th Dunedin (Musselburgh) 65pts 3 The camp sports were held on January 2, and resulted in a very exciting

9 ' ' '.. . ~ - --3 finish, the 4th Dunedin Company heading Ist Dunedin by half a point for first place, with 17th Dunedin (Port Chalmers) and Ist Southland next in order. Corp. W. Duncan (Ist Dunedin) was senior champion, with Corp. Seear (Sth Dunedin) and Lance Corp. Budge (4th Dunedin) second equal. Private Fitzgerald (17th Dunedin) was junior champion, with Pte. D. Lindsay (Ist Southland) runner-up. A seven-a-side Association football competition was held throughout the camp and the final resulted in a win for 2nd Invercargill over Ist Dunedin after extra time had been played. The prepared speech was held in the evening, the Rev. F. McDonald, Romahapa, acting as adjudicator. The subject was “Why should I be loyal to the 8.8. and how should I show it?” Pte. G. Downie (4th Dunedin) was the winner of the Grocott Cup, Pte. D. Hunter (sth Southland, Riverton) 2, and Lance Corp. N. Gerrard (Ist Southland) 3. The competition for the best kept tent was very keen and the boys deserve every credit for the excellent way in which the tents were kepc. Sergeant J. Fortune’s squad (Ist Southland) 94.4 per cent., were the winners; with Corp. W. Duncan (Ist Dunedin) 94.1, 2; Sergeant D. Beck (Ist Southland) 93.1, 3; and Sergeant L. Woollett (4th Invercargill) 92.8, 4. This is the seventh year in succession that a Winton tent has won this shield. The company tone competition was won by Ist Dunedin, with 4th Invercargill second and Ist Southland third. The tone was judged on general smartness, cleanliness, and all-round behaviour. Best All-Round Company. The best all-round company proved to be the Ist Dunedin (Caversham Baptist) with 320 points, Ist Southland 293 points 2, and 4th Dunedin 155pts 3. Ist Dunedin won this cup the first year it was competed for in 1928-29, but the following year Ist Southland gained it and held it at the combined camps of 1930-31-32, and the Southland camps of 1933 and 1934. This year Ist Dunedin has wrested it back from their old rivals by a small margin.. The winners were heartily congratulated on their splendid performance. During the camp rambles were taken to the Nuggets lighthouse, the fishing boats, the sawmill, and several other places of interest, while buses conveyed parties to Pounawea. Others spent their leisure hours in cricket, fishing off the rocks and swimming in the briny. The huge commissariat was under the direction of Captain J. H. Boyd as quarter-master, with Lieut. J. Thomson as assistant Q.M., while Cooky McKnight and his assistant supplied firstclass meals. Another popular department was the canteen and during the hours it was open for business, a brisk trade was done. The health of the camp was in the hands of the medical officers, Mr H. Densem of the Otago Medical School, and Mr W. R. Selwyn. Every care was taken of the boys and at the conclusion of the camp the general health of the boys was satisfactory. The spiritual side of camp life was under the supervision of the camp chaplain, the -Rev. A. Macfarlane, assisted by the other camp officers. Morning prayers were held at flagraising, study circles at 9.30 a.m., and evening devotions in the marquee before supper. The captains of companies also visited their boys in their respective tents for the purpose of tent prayers. The religious side of the movement was thus well catered for and much was done to further the Object of The Boys’ Brigade :—“The advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among boys and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect, and all that tends towards a true .Christian manliness,” .

4th Invercargill Central Methodist 18 28 31 77 1st Southland 17 26 30 73 1st Dunedin 15 25 30 70