THE BOY SCOUTS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 12975, 14 December 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE BOY SCOUTS.

SUCCESSFUL GARDEN PARTY.

ADDRESS BY SIR ROBERT STOUT.

(From "The Colonist," Dec. 5.)

The Boy Scouts may be congratulated ou the successful entertainment given by them on Saturday afternoon at Warwick House. The function took the form of a garden party and as-sault-at-arms, and- the Warwick House grounds lont themselves admirably to the purpose, for tho Scouts had apparently everything they required there— llat meaubws and lawns for drill and manoeuvres, trees and shrubberies for shelters and ambushes, terraces for the spectators and the splendid ball room and corridors for afternoon tea and .work stalls. At 2.30 the Scoiits, some 60 in number, marched on to the ground in business like manner, and an the arrival of Sir Robert Stout. they greeted him. with a Scout welcome, which was so far as we could gather, "Rangatira-Ia! Ite Taniwha ! Hi, hi, Ha !" This was given, in, spirited style under the leadership of Commissioner Houlker, and. after acknowledging the salute ? Sir Robert Stout. addressed some kindly words', tp. tlie boys. He congratulated them on belonging to the scout movement, which was an excellent .one in every way. He also congratulated them on their smart, and soldierly, appearance and .bearing. Scouts,: said Sir ilobert, ' -must always remember; that they have very high ideals to follow, and much is- expected from them. Some results of their scout. training appeared on. the surface,, but, the greater and better jjart-.. w ; as hidden, being the formation, of manly ; and noble, characters. They had a; beautiful country, as plenteously endowed by nature as any in the world, and they must love their country, .and work for their country and ever seek to increase its prosperity" and renown. The Scouts would in the future supply the magistrates, lawyers, doctors,- merchants, business men and city council- . lors," and they miist try and fit themselves in every- way to we'l arid faithfully carry out' the duties- they would some- day l)e called upon to discharge. A great ■ writer ' had T^ceintly urged as" a 'maxiih r for boys ' : to •■' 'remember— "keep' your mdutiis clean)"' and that meant thdt' not on]y ; must they bd careful to r properly loot after ' their m6uths : ahd their bodies generally, but 1 they mustnot let bad language pass iheir [ips or 'let poisons- sueh -as alcohol or "tobacco enter into 1 and ; ruin, .their -systoins: ■ Nothing 'great would "ever- be accomplished by a boy ■ who ' ;tart<ed smoking.: or drinking while yet in 3iis teens. ■ • Sir Robert concluded by wishing the Scouts a pleasant'holi-day-at. Ghribtaias aiid that they''woirl(] ilways 1 seek' arid hope for happiriefs ivhicii would surely-: come' to them if' they sought it in the proper way,- ' . Goniinissipner Hdulker- thanked' Sii Robert Stout fbi-liis kindly washes and ?xpres£ed the hope that the 1 Scouts irouM en<3<?aronr to. liveup ib tlie high j ideals set for tlietnV ■ ■ '. " ■' ' ?. > ■ ■ - ~".\

The Scouts then, gave thTe^ TOUBing cheers^for Sir' Robert Stout and the programme was begun by the" erection 1 r>{ a bridge over ah obstruction; Ijr a short space of -time, under the 1 di- 1 fection of PatrcJl Leader Fox, a; workmanlike and serviceable structure 4iad been erected which was tested and ipproved by Sir Robert Stout, Colonel •Joyce, ■■ Rev;' J. _P. : Kem'pthorne ) 'aiid others. -This' bridge was afterwards used .throughout tlie afternoon by the Oublic in passing frOni one part of the "rounds to another, and proved abso'hitdly. safe and reliable. Then fpllowr rl a. camping, scene, , in. which the: '3couts erected roiigh shelters and bivouacs, made looms, cooked meat and 'lamper in scout fashion, and .showed "iheir i ability, as .woodsmen. An alarm being sounded, it was, found that an Arrow had been fired into tlie camp, Variug a m^ssa^e from Deecfoot, the Shawanoe, ivarning the '.paCefacesf "of ■'the approach, of Indian's oil . tlie warpath.. Scouts were sent oiiifc but. did .not return, and another was.despatchsd who reported the approach of Tecumseh and his braves, and the Scouts thereupon laid in wait, and^ after a fierce figlit overcame aiid bound the. Indians, wlfo were led captive to camp. The Scouts who had been . sent out ; were found sorely founded and first aid having beeiv rendered they .were assisted, back to, camp, where .the. Indians were .summarily tried and condemned to death, but on the intercession, of Deeif oot Vere- spared, and the hatchet, was .buried in, solemn style. I A squad, of Scouts (under Scoutmaster Boyes) then gave a capital perf or-, mancb of dumb-bells and Swedislrdrijl which was heartily applauded. A, foil- j teneing, bout by -Mr., and Mrs Long- j Worth f urn i&hed an. interesting^ aud.j novel- item, aiul was also greet-ed with ( ;«ud -applause. . Under Scputmastor Garr '.another. ■ scouting . scene ■, >\-a» given; 'g'ho'wiiifi an attack ;by a tranip. an a defenceless scout, the subsequent. 1 tracking and-.' .capture of the., tramp,! and fii-ct iaid.to. the.Ecput. ..This was : a capital exhibition, well thought out | -aiHl.perfoiJßiod by the Kairiki Troop.. A : cross-bpw . coinpetit?oii , followed, then a running/maze drill to the. ac-i-j compiuiment of the Citizens' Band, j "and, the ■ prograiivnf concluded with a j trymnastirs: exhibition under: Scout-. ■ m'ajrtqr Bovc's ■ a^d Troop .'.Sergeant j ,W-atsqn.- .'Altogethoa: tlia Sjcouts ncquitr,] t«l ■ ■.t.hc'msclv'eW most creditably, aiid^ their pcrfomiances. met. with: keen ap-^ preciation > Irani the. „-., , -Cre- .1 dit is due to. " CpnimissioneivHoulker a-iid Sooutma'stor Hoby (Wak'atu Troop), who with Troop Sergeant ] Kitching (secretary),, were : resppnsi.ble for the , ' arrangempnts.. , The programme'was not- cohip'oted pn;saturday afternoon, 1 the archery^ crOss-bpw j and Imtchet thi-pwi.'^ foitipbtitipns bo- J ing uhfinisliedv.siiicl will be complefcd ", pjie 'evening' this week. >vheii the liri-J zes will be distributed. : In addition, | ; to the Scout programme ; '-ijftiernopn teaj was provided in the ball room under •the ..management of Mrs Kelling aud some twenty other ladies. The arrangemento were perfect, and fionie 3QO of those preseit availed tneniT selves :6! the opportatvity to obtain a, cup of tea. : Good business was done by the stalls', which were managed respectively by Mrs' Hpby (fancy stalO, Miss Hbulker' (Scouts' stall). Misses . Kitching (2) , Ladley and Jacobs (sweets stall). The Citizens'. Band idiscoursed excellentmusic JbhrOughout. the afternboiii 'which added very ma-' teriaily to the'enjpyment of tlie spectators,'; by whom' 'the grounds were: crowd^d.^ The Scoutshave to thank a hosVpf friends and sympathisers; for as;sistahce -given;- Sir Robert Stout for opening the garden party; the trustees ".of" N. Edwards, deceased;, for the usoof Warwick Hciuse,Mrs Kelling and tha '.adies' who managed the afters n,opn ten. ronm h.rd r.ta'lls, tlie Citizens' Band, ! the WesleyaiV Vestry for ; use of eymhitsium; Rev. -^ J. P. Kempthorne fpr use of schoolroomv Messrs Worley : 4nd Cooke for t instruction; Messrs Buxtoit and Co., Snodgrass and Sons, and H. J. Hingston for prizes; "