SCOUTING FOR BOYS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LX, Issue 9345, 16 April 1909, Page 5

SCOUTING FOR BOYS.

A WORTHY MOVEMENT

LECTURE BY LIEUT. TOOMATH,

The organisation kuowu as "BadcuPowell's Boy Scouts, " whicli has recently secured a firm footing in JNew Zealand, as well as in other parts of the Jiritisli Empire, has been extended to Mastertou, where one patrol has already been formed. Other patrols tiro in existence at (Jartertou aud Woodville, aud before long the whole of the Wairarapa aud Bush districts should have ;i continuous cliaiu of the.su useful juvenile combinations running through the more important settlements. Last evening a very large meeting of boys was held in the V.M.C.A. Rooms, under the auspices of the Junior Department, aud an address on the scope of the movement was given by Lieutenant Toomatb, of tho Enaliiuo Volunteer Battalion, who is scoutmaster of tho Carfcerton patrols.

Mr W. Komi) occupied the chair, and introduced die speaker to tlie lads, also making reference to the deserving iiud beneficial nature of the scheme.

Mr Toomath said that his talk to the boys would bo as between a big brother and themselves. Scouting for boys, lie explained, originated at Mafeking, during the Boor War. As the Boers drew closer around Hie town, General Badon-Powell found it harder and harder to secure information regarding the movements of the enemy. The boys in good physical condition —their rations were not shortened as the men's worn—and Badou-Powell thought that they would do as well as the men. They were trained under severe conditions, and soon realised what was wanted. That was scouting under the military system. The question had two aspects—scouting had its military significance and its application in ordinary life. Dealing with the movement iirst of all from the military viewpoint, Mr Toomath said that the scouts were the eyes ami ears of the army. They did not fight. They went out armed with a revolver, but this was used only in the last resource. He explained the reasons why the firearm should not bo used in cases other tliau those of dire necessity. The pulling of tho trigger, with the consequent noise, attracted attention. At the head of the army is one man —one brain carrying out everything. The General cannot see very far, nor hear very much, so lie uses scouts to bring in information, either positive or negative. The lecturer pointed out how tho casual observer was apt to misrepresent things that lie had seen, owing to not having takeu sufficient notice. Only the keenest and most highly developed men were taken as scouts. He referred to Lieutenant Grant, of Wellington's anuy, who spent three weeks among tho opposing forces of General Ncy without being detected; and to Lieutenant Wilson, who found his way into gaol, and there spent six weeks, in order to learn military secrets. Tho speaker tested the boys' powers of observation by asking how many lamp posts and telegraph posts were situated in a certain section of Queen-street, and received various answers. Mr Toomath, continuing, said that the dormant powers in the boys had not been awakened, and for the arousing of these the scout classes were being formed. The boy is the greatest, source of information when the trouble is takeu to develop Ills powers. The scout must take care not to fall into traps. Mr Toomath rendered an interesting account of the splendid system of scouting adopted by the Zulus in time of warfare, and narrated an incident in which they wore tricked by an English officer by means of a fake dispatch. In this case the Zulus were guilty of misplaced confidence. If an enemy's tactic appears too easy of explanation, the scout must endeavour to ascertain the object of the opposing force in adopting such a move. The best uniform for a scout was honesty. This meant, first, that a man must be clean to himself, and if he was Honest to the man employing him, ho would be as strong as he could make himself, as wiry as he could I develop himself, and as energetic as a human being could be. He must develop himself by walking, beginning with comparatively short distauces and gradually increasing. Every scout must ba able to swim. The whole time that he is working, his mind and eye must be busy, always taking care never to tiro the body or mind during the training. While on the journey he should secure meutal photos of the country, of how the pad- j docks are laid out, and of the nature of the roads, bridges and water-courses. He must train himself to state just exactly what he saw, and nothing else. The lecturer gave a blackboard diagram of scouting work, illustrating the value of correct eye service. Tracking was another thing which the scouts would learn. No two men walk alike, and witli practice, on such a surface as that of a clay road, one could not only find out a man by his footsteps, but follow them to their destination and determine how long they had been made. This required very highly trained eyesight indeed. The ear ought to be trained to detect sounds to which it was previously deaf. Having dealt with the gathering of knowledge of the country, the speaker went on to explain tho identification and mental cataloguing of individuals. The proper development of scouting qualities could only take place under military discipline and collective control. Tin scout officers were —the scout master, tho patrol leador, who holds a position similar to that of colour-sergeant, the patrol sergeant and the patrol corporal. Each patrol has its own name. Scouting has its benefits in daily life. It develops loyalty. The scout has to go to a certain spot in the quickest possible time, finding his own food and means of travel, and determining his own periods of rest. His rests must necessarily be short and his journeys loug. Loyalty is the predominating characteristic of the scout, and his first thought on reaching camp, even in a state of exhaustion, is to gasp out his message. He must learn to convey his impressions in lauguage readily understood. The scout masters meet and draw up the scheme of exercises for each year's work. The scout must be able to swim, without his clothes or with them, and the youngest can always learn, to restore life to the appar-

eutly drowned. The instructor of the ambulance class would, uo doubt, be pleased to impart the principles of iirst aid to aspiring scouts. Mr Toomath gave a practical illustration of the binding up of the head for a scalp wound. It wa3 only very elementary first aid that the boy could give. The snouts should be formed iv patrols of not more than eight members, who elect their own leaders, who, in turn, appoint a sergeant and corporal. The rules are laid down in General Baden-Powell's book on scouting. There was nothing in scouting thac aiiyouc could take objection to. The scouts were not asked to kill anyone, and kindness to animals was one of their iirst considerations. Honesty was another plank, and the speaker gave a general outline of the line of conduct that should be taken up by young scouts, after which he was well applauded.

Sergeant-Major Collier intimated his willingness to act as instructor to the Mast3rtou scouts, including the recently-formed "Tui" patrol of eight members, which parades on Monday and Thursday evenings, in Albert-street.

A vote of thanks was passed to Lieutenant Toomath for his instructive address, on tho motion of the General Secretary of the V.M.C.A., Mr N. O. Marshall, seconded by Mr R. O. Jarrett, and was carried by acclamation.

Mr Toomath, when acknowledging the compliment, stated, in reply to a question, that the scouts were not; under Government control, but were an independent body.

The local detachment will meet on Friday evening of next week in the Y.M.O. A. Rooms.