GERALDINE BOY SCOUTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21380, 24 June 1939, Page 3

GERALDINE BOY SCOUTS

Parents’ Interest Successful Year There was a good attendance of parents and scouts at the annual meeting of the Geraldine Scout and wolf cub packs in the Presbyterian Hall on Thursday evening. The chairman (Mr A. M. Fyfe) presided. The chairman, who extended a welcome to District Commissioner J. C. Bentley and friends from Timaru, said that the committee had £2O plus £lO in building material in hand for the erection of a new scout den. When a section had been made available by the Geraldine Borough Council it was hoped to make a start with its erection. The report, previously published, and balance sheet, which disclosed a credit of £5/17/2, were adopted. Officers were elected as follows: — Chairman, Mr A. M. Fyfe; secretary, Captain A. W. McArthur; treasurer, Mr R. J. McKeown; auditor, Mr J. D. McKechnie; committee, Mesdames J. A. Webb, J. Waller, J. M. H. Tripp, F. H. Wallach, W. Shearer, J. Scott, M. Williams, A. M. Fyfe, and Miss L. Hawke, Messrs A. M. Fyfe, H. J. Bowkett, M. Campbell, R. J. McKeown, J. P. McKechnie, R. Gibson, C. L. Kirby, F. H. Wallach, C. Mayston, H. Wade, Captain A. W. McArthur, Father M. J. Fogarty and the Revs. Canon A. H. Norris, W. J. Couling and F. O. Prosser. Annual Report The troop annual report presented by Scout Master R. Gibson stated that during the early part of the year the troop had been fortunate in losing the assistance of Assistant Scout Master Small, who left the district. However, Mr R. Gibson had taken over the duties as scout master. From January 18 to 25, 11 scouts under control of Scouter Chambers (Ashburton) and Scouters J. Bowkett and W. Shearer camped on the property of Mr A. G. Macdonald, “Waitui.” The controlling officers extended their thanks to members of the committee, parents and citizens of Geraldine for their generous donations and Miss Ford, a visitor to the camp, for her generous donation. A special camp was held during Easter to enable tenderfoots to fulfill Jamboree camping requirements. Sixteen scouts attended under the control of Scouter

Bowkett, much useful tenderfoot and second class work being completed. Three officers and six patrol leaders and seconds attended the Toe H dawn service and three officers and 18 scouts paraded on Anzac Day. Two officers and 19 scouts paraded at the Founders Day service held at St. Mary’s Church. District Commissioner Bentley visited the troop in April and gave an interesting talk to both scouts and parents on the coming jamboree at Wellington. During May, after permission had been obtained from Mr J. Scott to gather cones from his plantation the sum of £5/14/4 was realised. Of this amount £5 had been handed over to the committee for the den funds. In conclusion the report thanked the committee for their ready support with special mention to the secretary (Captain A. W. McArthur) for his untiring efforts and assistance. Their cash in hand amounted to £3/10/5. Cubs During the past months the cubs had been taught knotting, stated the annual report of the wolf cub pack. Football practices had been held and the cubs travelled to Ashburton where they beat the Ashburton pack. Hikes had been carried out by the pack in July. The cubs had learned to cook and had been taught to build a good fire place to cook their meals on. Both reports were adopted. The district commissioner congratulated the committee on its successful year and complimented the secretary (Captain A. W. McArthur) on his report. BENEVOLENT GUILD FOURTEEN FAMILIES ASSISTED Fourteen families had been assisted with groceries, clothing, boots and medicine and two families had been supplied with milk, stated the annual report presented at the annual meeting of the Geraldine Benevolent Guild at Geraldine yesterday afternoon. Six pairs of blankets and two mattresses had been bought. A new up to date invalid chair had been procured and was for use for anyone requiring it in the Geraldine district. Appreciative letters of thanks had been received from some of those assisted by the guild. A generous donation of £75 had been received from the Mayor's Relief Fund and this grant had helped considerably in the work. For this grant the guild extended its most grateful thanks. A donation of £5 had been made to the Children’s Health Camp. The work had gone on quietly under the president, Mrs J. Wordsworth, the report continued, and two members, Mesdames J. F. Coursey and Moore, had been lost through removal from the district. Thanks were also extended to these two ladies for the work they had done. Thanks were extended to the president for her work, Mesdames Stopford and Orford, and Mr H. Morrison for donations of money, and others who had sent in parcels of clothing. To Mr N. McGregor for auditing the books and Morrison Bros, for housing the chair; the stores for taking out parcels and the newspapers for publicity given, and all who had shown interest iff the work during the year.

Mrs J. Wordsworth was elected president, Miss E. McLean secretary, and Mesdames R. A. Dixon, J. Scott and W. A. Sherratt, vice-presidents.