SCOUT NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23180, 22 April 1937, Page 13

SCOUT NOTES

(By

“Pathfinder”)

An enjoyable time was spent last week-end by 16 Dunedin scouters (from cub, scout, and sea scout sections) who visited Invercargill. On Saturday afternoon they were free to explore the beauty spots, seeing through a newspaper office early in the evening. Later in the evening over 50 scouters, 'local and visiting, and committee-mem-bers, assembled to see movie films of a Timaru training camp for cubmasters and the Australian scout jamboree. Some scouters were.able to see themselves on the screen for the first time. These films were kindly lent by the Dunedin scouters who took thejn. After the pictures the most important part of the week-end, the conference, on some leading questions in the movement,. was held, and useful points were explained. On Sunday morning, after a Press photograph had been taken at the Post Office, cars were collected and the visitors and their hosts, about 30 all told, went to Bluff. A “Scouts Own” service preceded lunch at the Bluff school, which was kindly lent by the head master.

Climbing to the top of Bluff hill required some energy in the hot sunshine, but the great view was well worth it. The descent did not take long, and then on the way back tc Invercargill the Awarua wireless station was visited, all the apparatus being explained by an operator. Back in the city, there was an hour free, after seeing a wonderful private collection of birds, before dinner at a city hotel. The visitors returned to Dunedin by the evening express, and at the station farewell hakas attracted much public attention. Both local and visiting scouters thoroughly enjoyed the whole week-end, and besides derived much benefit from an exchange of views and experiences in the movement. e This visit is now an annual affair between the centres, each district visiting the other during the year. Rovers Visit Lake Hauroko Over last week-end of February a party of Invercargill Rover Scouts visited Lake Hauroko. They travelled by car to the end of the road up the Lilburn Valley, and shouldering their packs containing food and camping gear for the next 24 hours, started the hike at 6 p.m. Streams had to be forded knee deep, and the track, very wet and muddy nearly- 4 all the way because of recent heavy rains led through open and bush country. Five young deer were seen quite close in one open space and wild pigs had rooted up the ground in many, places. At dark, camp was made on the track. ■ On the Sunday morning one tent was left erected and gear not needed for the rest of the outward trip was left in it. The track was rackled again before 8 a.m. and the lake reached one and a-half hours later, and by then breakfast was well earned. About three hours were spent out on the lake in the rowing boat, with oars fashioned from young trees, a distant point being reached and giving a further good view of the beautiful lake, which is surrounded by bush right down to its edge. After late dinner the return trip was started at 3.15 p.m., camp gear being collected en route, and the car reached at 6.30 p.m. At the lake the Tramping Club met the rovers and on the return hike caught them up. In spite of bad conditions underfoot and good sized packs the six rovers thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip, and immediately arranged another one to see some more of Southland’s scenery off the roads.

World Interest The world interest in the Boy Scout movement challenges the intelligent understanding of everyone and yet many people still ask: “What is scouting?” and “What do boy scouts do?” Scouting means outdoor life and health, strength, happiness and practical education. It develops the power of initiative and resourcefulness. It helps boys, it insures good citzenship. The Boy Scout movement healthfully and sanely offsets the disadvantages civilization has caused. It seeks to help boys on leaving school to escape the evils of “Blind Alley” • occupations—that is, such work giving boys a mere wage for the moment, but leaving hirn stranded without any trade or handicraft to pursue when he is a man and so send him as a recruit to the great army of unemployed, and what is worse, the unemployable. Scoutcraft includes instruction in first aid, life saving, tracking, signalling, cycling, nature study, seamanship, campcraft, woodcraft, chivalry and all of the handcrafts. No expensive equipment is required. All that is needed is the out-of-doors, a group cf boys and a competent leader. By combining wholesome, attractive, outdoor activities with the influence of the Scout Promise and law the movement develops character. In scouting the boy does not stand still. The opportunity and incentive for progress is always at hand. He successively becomes a tenderfoot, a second class scout, and a first class scout. After this he can be a King’s scout, and then the whole sphere of the scout programme is made available by the boy’s own application in qualifying himself to pass the tests for any of the 60 odd proficiency badges. Non-Military Organization

As an organization the scout movement is not military in thought form or sport, although it does instil the military virtues of honour, loyalty, obedience and patriotism. The boy scouts, as an organized body, recognizes the religious element in the training of the boy, but it is absolutely non-sectarian in its attitude towards that religious training. Its policy is that that religious organization’ or institution with which the boy s)cout is connected shall give definite attention to his religious life. The church of which he is an adherent member should be the proper organization to give him an education in the things that pertain to his allegiance to God.