THE BOY SCOUTS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13049, 8 March 1911, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE BOY SCOUTS.

UNDER THE NEW DEFENCE ACT

It will be remembered that under tk.l Defence Act of 1909 provision was ■<<f\de lor the Minister of Education taking over Hoy Smut units as junior cadets until they reached the age of 1G years, but no further provision wae made. This was -felt to bo not in the fc'st interests of the Boy Scout movement, and in the amending Act of last setisioii it is provided that the Minister of Education may take over the Boy Seuut units of junior cadet age and the Minister of Defence Boy Scout units <jf senior cadet age. Under the Act of 1910 all boys between the ag;s of 14 and 18 years-who are not already cadets are to lie enrolled as senior cadets, and as the Boy Scout ages are from 12 to 18, it was clear that there was an overlapping. Fortunately all diliiculties have been ren:oud by a eon Terence held last mouth at Christcliureh between Genoral God ley and Commissioner C'ossgrovo, the Dominion Chief Scout. As a. result of the conference General Godley requested that all Boy Scouts over tlie age of 14 years should bo formed into separate patrol;;, and that as many as possible of the fx'outmaster* should offer th: ir services as Boy •Scout cadet officers. Then ;i)l Boy Scout units, the members of which lire of senior cadet age and whose officers are properly qualified, will be tak'.-n over by the Defence Department as ■senior cadets under the special description of Boy Scout cadets. These- Boy Scout cadets will have special privileges, amongst others of wearing always their Hoy Scout uniforms. All that General Godley requires is that they complete the. requisite amount of drill required for senior cadet:'., ar.d then they can parade as iir.d enjoy nil the benefits of the Boy Scout training. It will bo seen, therefore, that th? work of Boy Scout cadets must be far more interesting than that of senior cadets pure and simple, and General Godley showed his appreciation of th? movement and of the Boy Scout training by requesting that ?.][ scoutmasters throughout the 3};>i)iiuion should start at once to entol boys between the ages of 14 and 18 as Boy Scouts, and should offer their own services .as senior cadet officers ki) that ;is many as possible of tho l".ds of renier cadet age may bs enrolled under the Boy Scout cadet Ihradiug. The General, ps a, further indication of his deep interest in the. Boy Scants, consented to become vice-president of the Dominion Boy Snouts, and to convey an invitation to His Excellency the Governor to become the president. The General stated that the enrolment of boys as Boy Scout cadets would assist him very much, and would materially lighten the work of tha enrolling officers when they came round early in March. A deputation of local Boy Scout officers, waited ou Colonel Hnw-

kins,-0.C.D., yesterday, consisting of Commissioner Houlker and Scoutmasters Boyes'and Hoby, and explamed what they proposed to do in Nelson afi regards tlic enrolment of boys, and Colonel Hawkins consented to allow the enrolment form 3to bo left at tho local Defence Office, so that boys desirous of obtaining them could get the forms there. These forms will be obtainable from and after Saturday next from the Defence Office and from all the local scoutmasters. It is to be seen therefore that to become Boy Scout cadets, lads between the ages' of 14 and 18 must first become Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts' officers, however, will accept only those boys who will agree to conform to the code of chivalry and mbrals comprised in the "scout law. Any boys who -will not do this must serve in'the compulsory senior cadet corps. Ijiko other senior cadets, tho Boy Scout cadets will have their uniformn provided by the Defence Department, or if they already-own their uniforms a capitation allowance will be made.

The enrolment of boys of senior cadet age is being pushed on vigorously by tho local scoutmasters, and they will"be. especially glad to receive offers iron, those qualified to undertake tho duties of scoutmasters in tho Boy Scout Cadet companies. The two cixist;ng troops in Nelson are to be rearranged into three troops one composed of boys under U and the other two of boys' over 14. . , Commissioner Emmctt. late of the london (Knslatul) British Boy Scouts, l, n "i-omiscS to assist the Boy Scouts in Nelson, and to take charge of the new troop pf junior scouts.

WAKATU MOUNTED RIFLES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

The Wakatu Mounted Hifles went into camp on the 4th of Febnuary on Mr G. MacnvahiHi's property at lapawera, and broke up on February lit!.. The weather was perfect tor camping, and the, men were kept busy, r«o oi tine days were devoted to skirmishing on Spooner's Kaiißo and on the lulls in the. vicinity of the camp. A lecture was given by Surgeon-Major Hudson on first aid to the wounded, and one was also given by Major Boyd Wil>on on tl^. lire of .mounted rifles as an aim for scouting and screening, in tune ot v r There were over forty men m

CaThe following are the results of the sports ht'ld i» connection with the Amp There, were fair fields in all

Six FurloiiK Flat Scratch Raco: Lieut. Forsyth's Vixen (1 rooper b. Wilkinson), 1; Lieut. Rutherford's or 11 llMinen's V mlot (Iroopor Iv. I'uhl), 3. Won easily by thrcee '(hio'^lil- Trot Snatch Race : Trooper J, Thomas's Daisy (owner), 1 ; CoiWral' A. Stc-cr's Myrtle (o™>, 2 ; Corporal G. Cii^gs' Kate (K. Pahl), 3

TiK'-of-War on Horsoliack: No. 1 tiTopV No. 2 troop. A draw. 10') Yards Foot: Trooper I<. Uiggs, 1•' Corporal G. Bisss, 2: Corporal A. Steer, 3. A tfood race. Led Fours (ono wan loads foui l-oi—,s)- Trooper ,T. - Clougher, 1; ''^fVurlo^L-dl, Race^our fli-rlits): Trooper R- Harmon s \ tolot, W'orpornl G. Bi^s'-Kato, 2; Trooper T Clduhlkt's Lady Pompey, J. 100 Yards Recruit Race : 'lrooper Jv. P-ilil 1; Trooper, 11. It- Arnold, 2; Tnoper X. Strtr. 3. A close race. O,H' Mile Klat Handicap: Lieut. Fmsvtlrs Vixen (Trooper &. WHKin'.nO' 1- liifiit- Kuthorford'B Acorn (Tn'mx-r L. Thomas). 2; Trooper A. Lines' Lion (owner), 3. A good race an\Vre!stli.m on Horseback: Corporal G Hi.'"S 'and Trooprn- M. Biggs (a draw),"! ; Serjeant-Major Macma-lion, "•Titwpev X- Arnold, 3. ""Om- Mile Trot Handicap: Trooper I, Tlionias' Daisy (owner), 1; Sergt, L.lrmUd'sDiek (owner) 2; Corporal \ Steer's Myrtle (owner), 3. ■ r ' V'.'-ouin" Duininv: Cornoral ,T..tlaunfn.'llse^t.L. Arnold, 2; Trooi«r "iS^V-iiteßt, Wind-folded in a nl SwponilLouiUrnold,l ; Troopi<r It Haiintn, 2. . . , Consolation Rae,.: Trooper A. I.nes Lion (Trooper S. Wilkmswi), 1; lioopi) elmKilor'R Nuisance (owner), 2; Trropor H. Thomas' Jimmy (Trooper L-Th!!"Snls »f tl'eso sports were :-- T.id.'- > Captain 1' aulknar ; sfcii ter, Li'-.rt ' Hutherford; liamlieapper, ;,' ier-Se-t. Hunt; clerk o course ■ aid: Bi^s; clerk, Sergea.it Mc'h,rKon ; secretary, Troopei J. ChHiKlier; assistant secretary, Seigt.Maior M^acmalion.