The Boy Scouts

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144860, 11 December 1915, Page 5

The Boy Scouts

b 7 Scoutmaster

Commissioner for Taranaki Province.— Major F. W. Sahdford, V.D. Compiler Scout Column.—Ror. E. G. Conk. Now Plymouth District.—Commander, .Mr. Alex. Milne; secretary. Mr. H. Medley. Stratford District,—Commander, Lieut. V. Orawsha-.v; secretary, Mr. A. D. Stanley. St. Mary’s Troop.—Scoutmaster, Mr. C. List. CentralTroop.—Chief Scoutmaster. Mr. J. Arms; Assistant Scoutmasters, Messrs. It. Milne and Allen. Omaca. Troop.—Scoutmaster -Frost. To Ticnui Troop.—Chief ' Sfcoutninstcr, Rov. Mr. Favoll; Assistant Scoutmaster, W. Howsou. Boil Block Troop.— Scoutmaster, ' Mr. Evisan. ' Voueltawn Troop.—Scoutmaster F. W. Sandfbrd, Waitara Troop.—Scoutmaster N. D. Day. M’hiteley Troop.—Scoutmaster Rev. A. B. Chappell. Uronui Troop. Scoutmistress, Miss Ailleea Taylor. The camp committee regrets that it is -not yet able- to announce the date and place of ('amp. All boys who wish to attend this combined district camp should inform tlioir Scoutmaster immediately, so that’final arrangements can ho made. We regret that Scoutmasters of the provir.ee do not avail themselves of this column. The compiler would bo only too pleased if Scoutmasters and those interested in the movement would send him any information that would be of use both to the movement and to the community at large. , ' ' This week I..thought the boys-and parents would like to read something about what the hoys in England in.the shape of the Scout organisation are doing for their country at this time. It is n-report written by the Chief Scout, Sir Robert Baden-Powcll. SCOUTS ON DUTY. 1 have just been paying a surprise visit to the Scouts who are on coastwatching duty on the south-west coast from Southampton to the Land’s End. 1 wont without previous notice, because 1 wanted to see just how they do , their every-day duties, without having parade’s specially arranged and sta-' tions specially cleaned up for me. Although my visit was thus in most cases unexpected, X am bound to say that I did not iu one single insban-ce line! the Scouts neglectful of their work; the duty-men were on duty, the others wore within call and properly dressed in uniform, and their quarters were, as a general nile, clean and tidy. I have heard of one or two lately joined Scouts who want to 'wear breeches or trousers instead of shorts—they said they wore afraid of catching bold in their'knees, poor' things! You can catch cold in your head, I know.-but' I don't sec how you can in your knees; your knee?, for one thing, haven’t got noses to : blow! No, 1 think that these beys thought it -would make them look move grown up to bo in longer clothes—more manly and swankier. But if they had seen onr Light Infantry soldiers at the front, in shorts, or the splendid'coast-watch-ing Scouts that I saw last wcx J k. who have had to face exposure to the worst weather oh duty in shorts, they would feel ashamed and would change thenideas on the subject. These follows had not got colds—l never saw a hoal-thier-kioking lot. I was delighted. to receive good reports of the work of. the cbast-watch-!ng Scouts from the coastguard inspecting ctliccVß and chief potty officers. Also I was particularly pleased to hear of spcciaUv good deeds being done, in various stat.ons. At one station, the Scout-watchers had found a drifting mine, for which ’ the Admiralty sent them a reward of £l. ■ •At another station they had sighted and reported a German submarine, and for this they had received the splendid award of £~> from the Admiralty. At Newlyn one of the not a very big one either—bad dived into a very roiigL sea and had resuvd a lisherboy who was in danger of drowning.. 1 Two detachments of coast-watching Scopts bad- distinguished .themselves by giving valuable help in' saving life and property where houses had caught fire. At another place, where the crew of a-ship which--had born torpedoed were brought ashore in a state of extreme and exhaustion, the Coastguard Scent a had, of their own accord, made ready', the Sailors’..Koine'and had prepared'hot food and blankets, and so were able to give valuable aid to the men when they were brought in. The In- t part of it was, that it was their own' idea— nobod:;' had put them up to it. and that was the point that purticulnrlv pleased mo about the case. Lets of minor incidents, of Scouts working in the coastguards’ gardens, and doing good turns for thewives and families of the absent coastpnardsmen, showed me that they were not forgetting to carry out- the third Scout Law.