THE BOY SCOUTS,

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143788, 11 May 1912, Page 4

THE BOY SCOUTS,

By > Scoutmas&r

District Commissioner, Mr. F. G. Kimbell, Hawera; District Commander, Rev. J. A. Kempthonie, New Plymouth: District Secretary, Mr. J. R. Sullivan, New Plymouth; Inspectors. Major F. W. Saudi’orcl and Mr. G. M‘Gahey t Scoutmasters, Messrs. J. K. Sullivan, N. R. MTsaac, H. Y. JTGahey, S. L. Weller, A. R. Gibb, and Rev. G. F. Robson (New Plymouth), W 7. H. Humphrey and J. Kennedy (Inglewood). CENTRAL BATTALION. Progress.—Last week two new Scouts were sworn in—L. Bullot and Ralph Shirley. During the week the following qualified for second-class badges—C. Lawn, L. Russell, P. Barnett, and K. Kirkby. Leader G. Bradbury passed for his handyman and cyclist badges, and Leader Skelton for bis markmanship. Alterations. —A new patrol, the “Otters,” has just been formed. Corporal H. Barker has been promoted to the leadership, and A. Phipps has been made corporal. Owing to the resignation of Leader S. Ewing and Corporal W. Ewing the leadership of the “Horse” Patrol has been given to C. Boswell. H. Curlinc is his corporal. Visit of B.P.—As soon as word is received from "Wellington re passes on - the railways, arrangements for sending a troop to "Wellington will be completed. '• Object.—To promote the carrying out of that portion of the Scout oath that requires the daily performance of a good turn. Membership.—The League is open to all Boy Scouts and Girl Peace Scouts. Apply to the president for enrolment, telling him of some good turn, no mat- > ter how small, that you have done. J Address letters to “The G.T.P.,” Box ' 889, Christchurch.

[By Lieut.-General R. S. S. BADENPOWELL, C. 8.)

I have got a fad, and I have got it badly—Scouting. ■ ■ Have you ever tried it ? Well, if not, take my advice, and “Don’t.” You will never get quite sane again. It gets hold of you, and you cannot drop it. As you go to your office through tho park you read, from-matches and footmarks and umbrella digs, that he sat here after his evening meal (because his feet were stretched out in front of the seat, not tucked in underneath it like those of an unfed man); also he had lit and lost three matches' in lighting his cigarette (probably when that wind was blowing about 9 p.m.) It was cigarette because none of tho matches showed much burning, as would have been the case in lighting a pipe or a cigar; moreover, tho end of the cigarette lies yonder whore he threw it—before he had finished it too! Why ? Ah! I see. She had been sitting some distance from him, digging her .umbrella into the ground, up to then rather embarrassed. Oh! then she had drawn rather more his way, had she ? (That side drag of the small foot-—the mark is very telling). Then ho Well, I think I must be getting on, or I shall be late for office. Seagulls flying over; hard weather coming.

That man in front is not fitted for city work ; by the outside wear of his heels he should be an explorer or adventurer.

Hullo! that is a curious horse that has passed along here: a fat cob going lame, lameness of old standing, too; you see the foot that makes the short pace and lighter impression is shod differently to the other three feet, shod for lameness in the heel. He was being led, not ridden, as his tracks continue and turn alongside those of another horse, and on the offside of it. The cob probably belongs to a stout, self-made, old gentleman. Well-to-do, because it is led by a mounted groom. Belongs to a man, because ladies do not ride heavily-built cobs. The owner is old and fat to require so stout a cob. He is not a good Horseman, as he likes to keep his lamo animal, which suits him, in preference to getting a new and sounder one; so it is probable that he did not ride much as a younger man. Therefore altogether he may be presumed to be a stout, well-to-do, selfmade man of over middle-age. And then

Hullo! that clock must be wrong; no, it is right; I am ten piiniites late for office. That is the sort of thing that happens if you once begin to practise Scouting.

Hence mv advice, “Don’t.” Nevertheless, I was going to have written an article on the subject for this book, but something went wrong with tlie illustrations. My method of writing the article was this; I meant to get some artist friends to draw me a few pictures on the subject generally, and then I would write “copy” to suit the illustrations. But what is one to do in this case? I write to Rene Bull, and ask him for “a picture on Scouting for the Union Jack, he reads my handwriting to say “a picture on scooting from the Union Jack.” I don’t think I write such a very bad hand as to account for that. Then I apply to Lawson Wood, the great historian, and he sends perhaps one of the earliest instances on record of scouting to illustrate the title of “Scouting for Boys.” He too has misread me, and he makes that awful-looking animal scouting after boys instead of the boys tracking him. _ So altogether I find so many difficulties about furnishing the desired article on. the subject of Scouting that I bog you will excuse me.