ITEMS FROM THE TROOPS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 10 (Supplement)

ITEMS FROM THE TROOPS

NORTHDOWN IE RANGI GROUP The Silver Jubilee has come and gone and all sections of the Group, Cubs, Scouts and Rovers are now settling down again to work in earnest. The various programmes of each section now include more outdoor work, advantage being taken of the longer evenings to get out-of-doors. Cubs At present the Cubs are all very keen and busy with the inter-Six competition. This has been going for a few weeks and will conclude tire first week in December when the winners, the best Six in the Pack, will be announced. One Second Star Cub, F. Smith has now passed through the Jungle and “gone up” into the Scout Troop. We wish him success as a Scout and trust that he will be as keen a Scout as the remainder of the Cubs who are Scouts in the Troop now. To fill the vacancy of F. Smith who was a Sixer, G. Ayling has been appointed to that rank while B. Reade has been promoted to Second. The number of Cubs in the Pack now total 16 including the following new boys, who have been welcomed during the past few weeks, Grahame Hewitt, Duncan MacDougal and Basil Newitt. « The Cubs have t sen busy making toys for the Lepers and soon they will all be completed and ready to send away so that they will reach then destination in time for Christmas. To-day the Cubs are going to spend the afternon at the Scout Hut on Mr Kelland’s property at Northdown. The boys are all keen to go and have been looking forward to it all the week. Added interest has been created by the fact that probably the “recruits” may be invested. Scouts During the past few weeks the outdoor part of scouting has occupied a large part of our programme. Included in it was a whole evening spent on the shingle beach where many scouting activities were indulged in Our outdoor work has been the means of creating further keenness and as a result the troop has benefited. All the scouts who hold the second

class badge and who have been in the troop for at least one year are at present competing for the Stan. Pitcher Memorial Cup, which is for individual competition. The Cup has kindly been presented to the Troop by the parents of the late Patrol Leader Stan Pitcher and is to be competed for twice a year. At present rivalry is very keen and the closeness of the boys may be judged by the fact that we will still be in doubt as to the winner until the final night of the competition.

An increase has been in shown in the numbers of the Scouts in the troop. The total is 23 and there is every indication that we will be able to add to that total in the course of the next few weeks.

Camp is now being talked about and early preparations are being made. At present the acutal time of the camp is uncertain but it will be held either shortly after Christmas or early in January. The boys have been “saving up” for some time and the prospects are that this annual camp will be even better than that of last year which in itself was an outstanding success and a memorable one. The camp is to be held on the same site as last year, on the banks of the Opihl River at Milford, opposite the Reserve.

Last week the Scouts under “Kim” and “Sahi” cycled out to our hut at Northdown and spent an enjoyable time there. Opportunity was taken to pass tests and a firelighting contest proved very thrilling, this being one of the tests in the Pitcher Memorial Cup Competition. The scheme was to light a fire without paper, leaves or pine needles, and gradually build up the fire so that the flames could burn a piece of string which was stretched between two trees. This may sound simple but it was not so simple as the scouts soon found out especially as the wind was very changeable and kept blowing the flames away from the string and the fact that the string was higher than usual. In the light of these facts the competition took longer than is customary and interest was high as first one, and then the other, seemed to be the winner. Finally Patrol Leader John Dewar burnt through the string first, and he was followed by Patrol Leaders Arthur Mouat and Frank Welford, second and third respectively. As soon as the school examinations are over the Scouts are embarking on a scheme so that they too can assist in raising funds for the erection of our new Scout Den. So far only the members of the Court of Honour are “in the know” as to what the scheme actually is, but it is expected that when the details become known, the remainder of the Scouts will be keen on the idea and do their utmost to make the erection of the hut a reality as soon as possible. The Group Committee are “doing their bit" in connection with the raising of funds for the Den and we desire to express our sincerest appreciation of their efforts also their fine work in connection with the ree’ent Silver Jubilee. To one and ail we ..,-s v- say “Thank v.ou!”