THE CHIEF SCOUT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 3

THE CHIEF SCOUT.

RECEPTION AT CHRISTCHURCH. A civic reception to Lord and Lady Baden-Powell in the Council Chambers at Christchurch was held yesterday. After speeches of welcome had been made, Lord Baden-Powell replied. Over 300 people were present, and numbers were forced to stand at the back of the chamber. In the street outside a large crowd watched the arrival and departure of the visitors. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell were welcomed by the Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer), Commissioner W. H. Montgomery (Metropolitan Boy Scouts’ I Commissioner for Canterbury) and Miss Bromley Cocks (Provincial Commissioner for Girl Guides). There were also present several members of the City Council, and numerous Scout and Guide officers. The Mayor said that they had heard a lot about their distinguished visitors, and they were pleased to see them for their own sake and for their work's sake. The Chief Scout had had a very full life and as a character-builder was doing wonderful work. He was engaged primarily in making men, while Lady Baden-Powell was primarily engaged in making women. The Scout movement was regarded with suspicion by some peonle partlv because the leader was a soldier and : partly because of the uniform. But tne movement stood not for soldiery; its aim was not slaughter but service and service that involved self-sacrifice. He welcomed Lord Baden-Powell not only as a Britisher, but as an internationalist, as they believed that the movement was doing good not only in the Empire, but throughout the world. It was helping to cultivate the broad human spirit that was g *ng to weld all nations into one. (Applause.) The Mayor added that he was glad to have with them Miss Cossgrave, a daughter of the late Colonel Cossgrave, who established the movement in New Zealand, and Colonel P. C. Fenwick, an • ardent Scoutmaster and great Scout enthusiast. On behalf of the city he extended a warm welcome to tne" distinguished visitors. Commissioner W. H. Montgomery said that the movement was net a local one, but was spreading throughout the world, bearing with it a spi.it

of peace. The first troop of Scouts in New Zealand was formed at Kaiapoi in 1908, and after taking root in Christchurch, the movement spread to outlying places like Auckland up in the north. (Laughter.) Scouting liere was at present in a very flourishing condition, and on behalf of the Scouts and Cubs of North Canterbury, Timaru and Westland, he extended a hearty welcome to Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. A further great welcome would be given at the rally on Saturday, when 100 troops, representing 2000 Scouts and Guides, would assemble. Miss Bromley Cocks spoke of the influence wielded by Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, and extended a warm welcome on behalf of the girls of Canterbury, among whom the movement was doing a tremendous amount of good.

J Chief Scout’s Reply. ? Lord Baden-Powell was enthusiastict ally received on rising to reply. He stated that their reception took him : back . nearly twenty years when he was 1 Previously in Christchurch. He then ‘ saw what he thought any ordinary man should have taken a week over, and spoke more than should have been expected from him in two weeks, though he was only in the city a day! , Touching on the question of uniform, Lord Baden-Powell said that he had been a policeman as well as a soldier, and had found that a soldier made as good a citizen as anyone else, provided he was treated the right way. In fact, he felt that a soldier made a better citizen through having seen something of war, or licensed murder. A soldier did not want any more of it, and would fight his best to promote peace and keep it when he could. In putting the boys in uniform they wanted to treat all boys alike, no matter where they came from. Thus, they put them into the one class and promoted the brotherly spirit. They had come to the Dominion when the people were going through two dark periods, continued the Chief Scout. The first was unemployment. He did not suppose they felt it as badly here as was the case at Home, but it was a terrible thing owing to its effect on the young people. When the boys and girls could not find employment there was the danger of their becoming wasters for the rest of their lives, and that was what the - Scout and Guide movements were trying to avoid. They were endeavouring to build up character, initiative and hopefulness to encourage the young to seek further openings for employment if necessary. Appeal for Team Work. The second reference was to the terrible disaster at Napier, which took so many lives. But out of evil came good, and the disaster had undoubtedly brought the people of New Zealand together. Sudden good feeling was spread through the Dominion, and the people had come together to comfort the sufferers. He appealed for a spirit of team work, referring to the fineteam work during the war. It would be helping the next generation if they got together as a team and furthered the cause of the Scout movement to the best of their ability. At present the world was depressed economically and politically, and they could not get over it all of a sudden. It was up to the boys and girls of the country to do their best for their land, and such could be accomplished by encouraging the movement. The Scout movement was going ahead, and while it was doing a lot of good work now, would do even greater work in the future However, they must have more men and women to take the boys and girls in hand. Lord Baden-Powell expressed his thanks for a spontaneous and informal welcome, and was loudly cheered for his remarks.

Lady Baden-Powell also referred to the uniform question and drew a comparison with the work done by nurses and other bodies which adopted a distinctive uniform. it was conside-ed that by the adoption of a uniform they were breaking down barriers and bringing the girls together as one. She paid a tribute to the work done by the women of New Zealand of ages ranging from 18 to 80 helping along the work of the Guide movement. They were doing magnificent work, she said, and she was very much impressed by the splendid advance in Guiding in the last few years.