SCOUT NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 142, 19 June 1939, Page 10

SCOUT NOTES

LORD TUEEDSMUIR’S ADVICE Some wise words of advice to youth were given by Lord Tweedsmuir, Gov-ernor-General of Canada and its Chief Scout, at a recent banquet of 1200 young scout leaders of Montreal and their guests. There was, he said, no more hopeless motto for youth than “safety first.” People should not be foolhardy, but they must be prepared for an honourable gamble in life. They must play the long game and not the short one. To slip into the first job offered when you had no special aptitude for it, and no interest in it, was a certain road to disillusion. “Find out," he said, “what you want to do, and insist on doing it, whatever the obstacles and dangers.” Most addresses to young men, he thought, said a great deal about character and too little about intelligence, lhe one wel> just as important as the other. The British people, and perhaps the Canadian people also, were a little inclined to over-estimate character. Their attitude was something like this: “We do not profess to be more clever than our neighbours—perhaps we are not so clever —but we have more character, and it means that when we get into difficulties we always muddle through.” He did not believe it, he declared. Nobody ever muddled through anything. In the war we had muddled at the start and stuck fast in the mud. That we won in the end was because we learned to use our brains better than did our opponents. “To-day's problems,” he affirmed, “will never be solved by unstable, clever people with quick brains and nothing else. But neither will they be solved by honest stupidity. Character is a most important thing in life, but it must be illumined and directed by intelligence.” TROOP NOTES Gonville. Troop. The troop has been progressing very favourably lately. All scouts have completed their tenderfoot and are now on second class work. A numbei of boys recently spent an afternoon at Landguard Bluff under A.S.M. Gilbert, when the following were passed for the fire-lighting and cooking sections of their second class; R. Christiansen. L. Walker, L. Coulter, D. Coulter ar.d J. Reid. A visit, was recently paid to the troop by D.C.M. Dowling, of Auckland. Mr. Dowling was S.M. of the Gonville Troop in 1934 and was also in charge of the cub pack for several years. Very satisfactory entries for the jamboree have been received, there being 27 entries in all. The boy* are keen and are working hard and there are only a few to qualify, but with the co-operation of tne two A.S.M.’s, the balance of the boys will be ready by June 30. A.S.M. Gilbert has been taking the boys for Saturday afternoon training hikes. The group is fortunate now in having a lady cubmaster, Miss Hilda Cook, who is doing excellent work with the younger boys and is very keen on her job. This has released A.S.M. D. Walker from his cub duties, allowing him full time with the troop. The annual general meeting took place on Wednesday, 24th, and in his annual report G.S.M. C. W. Baker

stated that already lhe troop is almost fully equipped with camping gear for the jamboree. Scouting activities in the troop during the past twelve months have been most satisfactory. There are now 29 on the roll, most of whom have passed tneir tenderfoot and second class within the last year. I On behalf of the boys, the G.S.M. expressed his appreciation for the interest the committee have taken in the troop and the work done by them in the various efforts undertaken to raise money for the troop funds. A full court of honour was held at the G.S.M.’s residence last Saturday night and was conducted in its usual business-like manner. Much routine and special business was dealt with, and the meeting terminated with supJAMBOREE NOTES Work for Boyhood of New Zealand. “We are working for the good of the boyhood of New Zealand," said the Dominion Chief Commissioner of Boy Scouts, Mr. Hector Christie, of Wanganui, addressing members of the Centennial Jamboree team. “The value of this jamboree is not in the enjoyment it may provide for the individual boy. Its value is national, and international, for it lies in bringing the boys of all parts of the Dominion in contact with one another, and with those of other countries,*and giving them the opportunity to exchange ideas and to form friendships which will draw their respective countries closer together.” Mr. Christie said that there was an immense amount of work to be done in connection with the jamboree. He emphasised the value of the work and the need for unity of purpose and cooperation in carrying it into effect. The organiser of the jamboree and leader of the team, Commissioner J. E. F. Vogel, said that a great deal ol work had been done by those who were not themselves members of the scout movement. He expressed appreciation of the help given by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, At a time when his attention was fiJ.

taken up with national affairs and on the eve of his departure for England, he had personally communicated with all ths Government departments concerned and asked them to assist the jamboree organisation as far as was within their power. The secretary of the team, Mr. J. Thodey, and the publicity man, Mr. B. Etherington, also spoxe. The Centennial Jamboree is being organised, not by regular members of the scout movement but by a team of eight voluntary helpers outside the movement, each expert in the particular line in which ne nas offered his services. Members of this team, as well as representatives of the headquarters of the Hew Zealand Boy Scout Association and leaders of the movement in Wellington, were present to meet the Dominion Chief Commissioner.