The Boys' Brigade

Southland Times, Issue 22856, 3 April 1936, Page 4

The Boys' Brigade

(By

Haversack.)

Ist Invercargill Company. Following the resignation of Mr J. Ridland as captain of the Ist Invercargill Company, Lieutenant A. Carnegie has been carrying on. The company has now been fortunate in securing the services of Mr R. M. McLean, secretary of the Georgetown Presbyterian Hall Committee, as acting captain. The parades will be held in the Venus Street Hall on Saturday nights as usual.

2nd Invercargill Company. Drill, physical training and gymnastics form the programme on Saturday nights at present, while signalling, first aid and football training are taking place on Tuesday evenings. In the near future a jumble sale in aid of company funds will be held.

3rd Invercargill Company. The final concert of the Jordan entertainers, prior to leaving Invercargill, was given in the St. Andrew’s Church Hall on Wednesday evening, in aid of the 3rd company. The chaplain, the Rev. E. Gardiner, occupied the chair and there was a large attendance, the funds benefiting to the extent of £5. The company held a church parade last Sunday at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church when the annual enrolment of the company took place. Owing to the inclement weather the parade was not up to its full strength; however 18 N.C.O’s. and boys under the command of Mr W. Cathcart and Mr A. Donaldson braved the elements and took part in an impressive service which was in the capable hands of the Rev. E. Gardiner, chaplain of the company, who based his remarks to the boys on the “Captain of Our Salvation,” Jesus Christ. A new feature of the enrolment service at St. Andrew’s was the issue of enrolment cards to the N.C.O’s. and boys by the minister. The officers and N.C.O’s. enrolled to the 3rd Invercargill Company for another year were: Captain W. Cathcart; Lieut. A. Donaldson; Staff-Sergeant N. Bennie; Sergeant A. Dawson; Corporal I. Morrison; Lance-Corporal A. Walker and Lance-Corporal R. McDonald. Visiting officers were Mr J. W. Clarke, captain of the 7th Invercargill, and Mr W. R. Selwyn, Life Boj’ supervisor. 4th Invercargill Company.

This company parades in the Jed Street Hall on Saturday nights and good progress is being made in first aid work. This week Morse instruction will be commenced under the direction, of Mr S. Pearce, while visits to the fire station will commence shortly. sth Invercargill Company.

The Teviot Street boys meet on Monday night, wayfaring, semaphore signalling and drill being undertaken. It is hoped to commence first aid in a fortnight’s time. The average attendance at present is about 12.

6th Invercargill Company. This company, the Esk Street Baptist unit, is experiencing difficulty in carrying on. Lack of suitable hall accommodation is a big handicap, while the company membership is small and somewhat scattered. The use of a suitable building for a parade hall would be appreciated. At present investigations are being carried out to find out whether it is practicable to continue functioning. 7th Invercargill Company. On Wednesday evening this company had its third meeting of the year under Mr J. W. Clarke. As yet numbers are small, but the boys are rallying round and bringing along recruits. Parades are held in the North Invercargill Sunday School Hall. Ist Southland Company. Southland’s pioneer company is parading in strong force in the Winton Sunday School Hall every Friday night. The company is fully officered under Captain R. W. Goodall, Lieuts. J. McC. Thomson, I. A. Gerrard and Staff-Ser-geant J. F. Fortune, while a new lieutenant, Mr G. Baker, is now assisting the company. A full programme of first aid, semaphore signalling, Morse signalling, drill, physical training, gymnastics, singing and wayfaring is being put through. It is the intention of the leaders to reform the bugle band. The Gore Company. This new unit is showing steady progress, recruits turning up each parade night. The parades are held in the Sunday School Hall on Fridays at 7 p.m. Last Monday evening a conference of officers and leaders was held at the Manse, the Rev. Fraser Barton presiding. Details of the year’s programme were gone into, and a satisfactory first session should result. Soccer. Most boys who played soccer last year and quite a number of new Brigade boys will be looking forward to the coming season with interest and pleasure. Messrs W. Cathcart and J. W. Clarke were appointed our delegates to the Southland Football Association and details of the Boys’ Brigade competition will be available shortly. The Smith-McMurdo shield having been held in Southland for six months, now goes forward to Otago for the remainder of the season, each battalion winning a game last year. THE LIFE BOYS. Ist Invercargill Team. The Ist Invercargill Life Boy team presentation evening was held on Monday in the Venus street hall. Tire meeting commenced with the usual opening service after which the area secretary, Miss J. M. Arnott, inspected the team of 18 boys. A social evening was then held, the supervisor, Mr Selwyn, being in the chair. Recitations were given by Life Boys Norman McArthur and Reg Davis and a play “Boy Wanted” by Life Boys Jim Gregg, John Weir, Victor Hattrell and Hinchey Harvey. Mr A. W. Jones, president of the Ist Invercargill Company, addressed the boys and made a presentation to ; Life Boy Morris Lang, the best allround boy for 1935, and good conduct awards to Life Boys Gregg, Weir and Hatterill. Mr J. H. Boyd, battalion president, made the presentation of a pocket knife to Life Boy Davis, the best recruiting boy of the year. 2nd Invercargill Team. Owing to the increase in membership it has been decided to divide the 2nd Invercargill Life Boys into two teams. The team at present meeting in the Sylvan Bank Hall will be under the leadership of Miss D. Dempster, while on Wednesday evening the first meeting of the First Church team was held in Stobo Hall, where Miss J. Arnott will be in charge, assisted by Staff-Sergeant E. Boyd. Mr Selwyn (Area Supervisor), Mr J. H. Boyd (captain, 2nd Invercargill) and Mr R. Boyd (captain, Gore Company) were present at this meeting. Gore Life Boys. The Gore team, under Misses V. Bird and Fowler, has decided to meet in St. Andrew’s Hall on Wednesday afternoons. Numbers will soon be in the twenties