BOY SCOUTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 280, 26 November 1936, Page 6

BOY SCOUTS

WANGANUI TROOPS DISTRICT GATHERING COMMISSIONERS’ INSPECTION More than 200 Boy Scouts, representing troops in the Wanganui district, gathered in St. Paul's Hall last evening when an address was delivered to them by Mr. F. W. Gilligan, headmaster of the Wanganui "Collegiate School. It was planned originally to have the New Zealand Commissioner, Colonel Fenwick, present at the gathering, but the Scout Chief was unable to make the trip to Wanganui. The troops, which paraded at Cook's Gardens for inspect.on by District Commissioner A. F. A. Wool lams and Metropolitan Commissioner H. Christie, were:—Wanganui East Troop, 16; Glasgow Eagles, 14; St. Mary’s Troop, 32; Gonville Troop, 10; Castlecliff Troop, 16; Wanganui Collegiate School Troop, 32; Cubs, 80. The Commissioners were extended a typical Scout welcome by the large assemblage of Cubs. After the inspection, the Scouts and Cubs paraded at St. Paul’s Hall where they were entertained at a sumptuous tea by the lady supporters of the different troops. District Commissioner Woollams presided and associated at the official table with him were Metropolitan Commissioner Christie, Mr. F. W. Gilligan, headmaster of the Wanganui Collegiate School, Chaplain Fraser, j Scout Padre, and Lieutenant-Colonel W. S. McCrorie, chairman of the committee of the Wanganui East Troop. In introducing Mr. Gilligan to the assemblage, District Commissioner Woollams said that the association had had such a gathering in mind for some time. When the Dominion Commissioner offered to visit Wanganui several weeks ago it was thought that it would be a splendid idea to combine the two functions. Owing to circumstances over which the association had no control, the Dominion Commissioner had been unable lu make his visit to Wanganui and it was then decided to invite Mr. Gilligan to address the Scouts. Value of Discipline. Mr. Gilligan, who was given a rousing reception, said that the felt, a bit of an imposter in addressing the gathering as he really knew little about Sccuts. However, in his mind there was no doubt that the Scout movement was of tremendous value in moulding the character of boys because it taught the value of discipline. Ti e whole point in teaching discipline was to help them discover what was best in themselves. There were people who said that discipline was out of date but he believed that every bov at heart liked to be under good . sound discipline. Why was discipline necessary? Would it be possible for anyone to enjoy a game of football ' or cricket or take part in any sport ' everyone wished to take no notice of the rules laid down for the games? : If this was done there would be ncth.ng but confusion. Mi. Gilligan said that scouting and d.sc rime, and the two went together, ! ha.l ihe happy knack of bringing out the best in a boy so that, one day he ' w-jul(. be of great assistance to the : country in which he lived and to the ! whole world. If scouting and discip- < ’nee were of value to the community then they were great aids in the promotion of good citizenship. There was no boy who, in his heart, did not warn to become a good New Zealander. The people of England had nothing but the highest regard for the i people of New Zealand which he ho iestly believed was the most popular of the overseas Dominions. New Zealand, said Mr Gilligan, was popular in England because of the line spirit of sacrifice and discipline displayed by her soldiers during the Great War, and the excellent demonstration of sportsmanship and the . virile manhood of the All Black teams which had visited the Old Country. The New Zealanders was a good citi- . zen because acquiesced to discipline , which was the spirit of international i ‘ citizenship. "There is no doubt in my mind that I ‘ the two organisations which are en- j deavouring to bring about world peace ( are the League of Nations and the ’ Boy Scout movement,” said Mr Gil- |* ligan. The international jamborees which had been held in various parts , of the world Horn lime to lime had |‘ provoked a wonderful spirit of com- , radeship. He instanced the i:ite;-|‘ national jamboree at Olympia, Lon-| * don, in 192 U, two years after the con- | elusion of the Great War. '1 he ( authorities wished to keep the h rencii . and German Scouts apart, tor fear _ (hat. there would be trouble. Owing to a hitch in the arrangements, the < Scouts from the two nations arrived in London together and proceede I to Olympia. When the authorities heard * of their arrival, they thought that ’ trouble might develop, but wnen they ( went, to Olympia they found that the German and French Scouts were partaking of cocoa from Ihe same urn. That such a wonderful spirit of comradeship should exist between the | Scouts of these two nations only two I years after the war was a line tribute I to the worth of the movement. Mr Gilligan said that if the atti- , tude of mind of the Scout was to < keep before him during the whole of ; his life the pledges which he made when becoming a member of the , movement, and if the other people o; the community were actuated by th? , same ideal, the world undoubtedly ( be a very much better place in the future than it had been in the past. In returning thanks to the speaker, Metropolitan Commissioner 11. Christie said that. Mr Gilligan had remind- [ ed the Scouts and their leaders of their great responsibility in the world. He hoped that Mr Gilligan had madj them all realise that they had a great purpose to fulfil and a great objective to work toward. One task was to build up the Scout movement in the | Wanganui district. He asked that | every boy should go away from th? gathering with the idea in his mind | of making the troop to which he bo- | longed the best troop in the district, j There were many good Scouts and j good leaders in the district, but the ' movement could be made far stronger, j He thanked Mr Gilligan for the inspiring address which he had deliver- i ed to the boys. Lieutenant-Colonel W. S. McCrorie I moved a hearty vote of thanks to the | lady supporters who had provided the boys with tea. The ladies were accorded three vociferous cheers. At, the conclusion of the tea, a demonstration of Scout work was given to a large gathering of par?”‘s and friend';.