THE SCOUT MOVEMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18431, 15 March 1922, Page 5

THE SCOUT MOVEMENT.

RECOGNITION OF SERVICES. PRESENTATIONS BY MAYOR. At the municipal chambers last evening, prior to a meeting of the Borough Council, the Mayor presented a number of medals to members of the local Boy Scout movement for meritorious service. The recipients were:— District Commander A. Atkins, for five years continuous service as a, scout officer. Long Service Medal. Provincial Secretary W. R. Taylor, for five years continuous service as a scout officer, Long Service medal. Assistant Scout Master B. S. Campbell for earning 24 proficiency badges, gold kuri. Corporal J. A. Campbell for earning 18 proficiency badges, silver kuri. Scout S. Tizard for earning 16 proficiency badges, silver kuri.

Sergeant A. Taylor for earning 12 proficiency badges, one bronze kuri. Corporal J. Smith earning 12 proficiency badges, bronge kuri. Scout Hugh. Smith earning 12 proficiency badges, bronze medal. The Mayor spoke in praise of the scout movement and the work that the youths were carrying out. The commissioner (Rev. D. Campbell) explained that in joining the scouts a boy is first rated as a tenderfoot, then by examination he rose to be a second, a first, and ultimately a king scout. As a scout he may also earn what are known as proficiency badges; on earning 12 he receives bronze, on earning 18 he receives his silver, and on earning 24 he receives his gold kuri. This is a test that is rarely accomplished Assistant Scout Master B. S. Campbell has qualified in 24 proficiency badges. To be a king scout a boy had to be able to swim 50 yards; have at least 2/- in the savings bank; send and receive a message either in semaphore or morse, 16 letters per minute; go on foot or row a boat alone or with other scouts to a point 7 miles away and return again, or if conveyed by any vehicle (railway not included) or animal, go a distance of 15 miles and back. He must write a short paper of the journey. He also had to describe the proper method of dealing with 2 of the following accidents, fire, drowning, runaway sewer gas, electric shock, or revive the apparently drowned; cook satisfactorily two out of the following dishes: porridge, bacon, hunter’s stew, cook a bird, or skin and' cook a ribbit, make damper or twist. Read a map and compass correctly; use an axe for felling or trimming light timber; judge distance, area, size, numbers, height and weight within 25 per cent error, and also bring a tenderfoot trained by himself in the points required for the tenderfoot badge. At the conclusion the commissioner thanked the Mayor for making the presentations and stated that scouts were always ready to serve the citizens to the best of their ability.