BOY SCOUTS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14728, 5 August 1921, Page 6

BOY SCOUTS.

VISIT OF CHIEF SCOUT.

AIMS OF THE MOVEMENT.

Next week, Captain Cossgrove, who was appointed Dominion Chief Scout, on the death of his father, the late Colonel Cossgrove, will visit Thames, on matters concerning the Scout movement. '

Yesterday, a Star reporter interviewed ""the Rev. A. Mitchell, the District Commissioner, and asked him to outline the position of the Scouts in the Dominion.

“What is the present outlook?” the reporter asked.

“Very encouragnig, indeed,” Mr. Mitchell replied. “A great revival in Scouting is taking place all over the Dominion. New patrols are forming in the four chief cities, and in every town of any size and importance, leading citizens arc taking a live interest in the work. At the present rate of growth, it will not be long before the movement will number 100,000.”

“And, has this revival of Scouting touched your province yet?” “Oh, yes; we have over 500 more Scouts in this Auckland East province than we had 18 months ago. New patrols have been formed in Tauranga, Waihi, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, and the plains, and in each place splendid progress is being made, and the boys are showing the greatest keenness in their work.” Asked as to the position of the Thames section, Mr. Mitchell’ said that Thames had suffered from lack of scoutmasters. Scoutmaster Jenkin had done noble work ,in keeping the boys together, but he had been granted leave, and Scoutmasters Gairdner and Driver were now carrying on the work. They hoped, as one of the results of the visit of the Chief Scout Commissionei, on Monday, that a deeper interest would be taken in the movement by the citizens themselves. '

“In what direction can ihe citizens help?” the reporter asked. Mr. Mitchell replied (hat, under the new .constitution, the movement had been democratised. The management was vested in a local association, to be elected annually, and the control was shifted from the Dominion Executive to the local administration.

“Is the movement connected with the military in any way?” “In no shape or form,” was the reply. “It is non-military, non-politi-cal, and non-sectarian. There must be of course, or the movement would become a rabble. The very words of command given by scoutmasters show how anxious we are to avoid even the faintest resemblance to a military body. Char-acter-building, citizenship, ambulance work, crafts, and social service are the things the boys are trained in, and even their games are so arranged as to further these ends.”

Asked exactly what comprised the Auckland “E” province, Mr. Mitchell said that it comprised Thames, Coromandel, Ohinemuri, Tauranga, and Hauraki Plains. The setting-up of a Provincial Council, with headquarters and office at Thames, would be a great advantage, and help in the work of co-ordination, efficiency and propaganda.