BOYS’ BRIGADE MOVEMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23647, 24 October 1938, Page 5

BOYS’ BRIGADE MOVEMENT

Dominion Council In Invercargill

OFFICIAL RECEPTION BY MAYOR GOOD PROGRESS REPORTED

The seventh annual conference of

the Dominion Council of The Boys’ Brigade movement began in Invercargill on Saturday, delegates being present from Wellington and the chief South Island centres. There was an attendance of about 20 officers at the sessions. The conference was preceded by a luncheon and reception by the Mayor (Mr J. R. Hanan). In the evening a demonstration was held. Yesterday was a full day with church parades and special services. Mr J. H. Boyd, of Invercargill, president of the Dominion Council, presided at the conference.

At the luncheon the Rev. J. A. Thomson, in introducing the Mayor, offered his congratulations to Mr Hanan on his recent election. He said he was confident that Mr Hanan had a deep interest in all movements for the welfare of the community. The Mayor said the city was highly gratified that The Boys’ Brigade should hold its conference in Invercargill. He referred to youth movements overseas and said they were very different from those in New Zealand. In Germany the children drilled with miniature rifles and the Russian children were taught about the wonders of machineguns. It was all colourless and soulless. If The Boys’ Brigade movement i taught the children a sense of responsibility it was doing a great work in moulding the character of the rising generation. He was sure that those directing the movement realized that more than material things should be considered in the education and training of the children. He hoped the conference would be a great success. Mr J. H. Boyd thanked the Mayor for his welcome and' said it was the first occasion on which a Dominion conference had been opened by the Mayor of the' city in which it was held. The movement was striving to train the boys to be good citizens of their community and to develop their spiritual life, said the Dominion secretary (Mr R. H. Hill) in a short address.

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME The conference was opened by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (the Rt. Rev. W. H. Howes) with religious exercises. The president extended a welcome to the delegates. He said gratifying progress had been made by the movement. The number >of companies and the numbers of boys and teams had increased substantially during the year and he believed this promised well for the future of the movement. Progress had been slow at first because founda- | tions had had to be laid carefully. This work had been done so well that there was not much likelihood of a retrogression such as oftgp occurred in movements too hastily established. The chief object of the movement was to bring boys into the Kingdom of God so that they would ultimately become worthy church members. The management of boys required care and tact and group leaders should not be discouraged if they had some failures. The movement had many successes to its credit and was doing admirable work.

It was decided to send a message of loyalty to the Dominion patron, the Governor-General (Viscount Galway). The annual report stated that there were now 92 active registered companies, which was the highest number yet recorded, and 55 active registered Life Boy teams. During the year 22 companies and 12 Life Boy teams had been revived or enrolled by the Dominion executive. There had been a net gain of 13 companies and five” Life Boy teams during the year. There were between 1800 and 2000 brigade members and 750 team members. The financial statement presented by the Dominion secretary (Mr R. H. Hill) • showed that the surplus of income over expenditure of £132 7/8 compared with a surplus of £47 Til- for the previous year. The Dominion Director of Life Boys (Mr A. Young) reported that encouraging progress had been made in all parts of New Zealand. He urged that the captains of the brigades should endeavour to make the acquaintance of Life Boys and encourage them to become brigade members, so preventing the loss to the movement of Life Boys who reached the leaving age. The reports and financial statement were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mr Robert Duncan (Dunedin); vice-presidents, the Rev. P. L. A. Crampton (Auckland), Messrs J. H. Boyd (Invercargill), H. Beavis (Wellington), H. Orocott (Pleasant Point), F. Scott Miller (Wellington) and P. •M. Velvin (Christchurch); Dominion ‘Director of Life Boys, Mr A. Young (Dunedin); executive, Messrs S. George, L. Honeycombe, R. C. J. Smith (Auckland), W. S. Haddy, E. K Dowling (Wellington), A. J. Duncan, A. R. Hislop, L. W. Roseveare (Dunedin), A. M. Branks, F. H. Lambeth, L. D. MacVicker (Invercargill), the Rev. W. W. Elliott (North Auckland), the Rev. L. A. Day (South Auckland), the Rev. F. Sanderson (Marlborough), Mr A. G. Home (Canterbury), J. Slade (Gisborne), A. Foster (Christchurch). The Dominion secretary reported that plans had been prepared for holding a centennial camp at Wellington. It was proposed to hold the camp at Waikanae, 40 miles north of Wellington, with an after-camp period of a few days in the city. The camp arrangements were discussed and were referred to the meeting of the executive to be held today. The system of awarding badges for special work was discussed, several delegates suggesting that there were inconsistencies at present The question was referred to the executive.

Proposed amendments to the constitution of the movement were discussed, the main alterations recommended being the transferring of control from the Dominion council to the Dominion executive, the election of office-bearers by correspondence, and the replacement of the annual meeting of the Dominion council by officers’ training courses. The amendments were defeated. In the evening a display was given in the Public Gardens and Stobo Hall. The display was given by the Invercargill companies of the Southland Battalion and included drill, ambulance Work, gymnastics and signalling. Eighty boys participated in the display, old boys of the movement participating in the gymnastic exercises. The Dominion secretary congratulated tiie Invercargill companies on

the excellence of the display and delivered a short address urging the boys to take as their motto: “Aim high, fight shy, keep nigh.” There was a good attendance at the demonstration. Included in the programme were the following individual items:—Cornet solos, Private N. Lilley; Maori song and haka, Private H. Dickson; recitation, Private T. Duerdon; humorous songs, Captain R. Hislop. After the demonstration, the officers met to hear an address by Mr L. D. MacVicker, formerly captain of the 22nd Belfast Company.

WREATH LAID ON WAR MEMORIAL

PARADE OF BOYS’ BRIGADE

Aparade of The Boys’ Brigade was held at the War Memorial in Gala street yesterday afternoon, when a wreath was handed by the youngest boy in the company to the president of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association (Mr H. C. McKenzie), who placed it on the memorial.

Mr F. H. Lambeth (.’Core) was the commanding officer, with Mr E. J. G. Boyd as adjutant. The parade consisted of 110 boys and 26 officers. The inspecting officer was Captain J. K. McDonald, of the' Eighth Wellington Company of The Boys’ Brigade, and formerly of the l[vlth Glasgow (Pollokshaws) Company. Last Post and Reveille was sounded, and the parade then marched to First Presbyterian Church, where the officiating minister was the Rev. J. A. Thomson, assisted by Paster V. C. Stafford and the Rev. E. Gardiner. Mr Gardiner spoke to the boys, taking as his text The Boys’ Brigade motto, “Sure and Stedfast.”

In the evening the officers of the Southland Battalion, together with the visiting officers paraded to the Central Methodist Church, the Dominion secretary, Captain R. H. Hill, and Captain A. J. Duncan, being associated with the Rev. E. B. Chambers.

j Captain Hill delivered an address, taking as his text Genesis Chapter ‘44, verse 34: “For how shall I go up to my Esther, and the lad be not with me?” The service was followed by the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.