A YEAR OF PROGRESS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 7, 12 September 1944, Page 5

A YEAR OF PROGRESS

SCOUTING IN THE BAY

DISTRICT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Delegates from Gate Ga ; Mount Maunganui, Te Puke ? Awakeri, Waiohou, and 1 Whakatane attended the annual meeting of delegates at the Scout Conference for the Bay of Plenty district held on Saturday afternoon andi evening. The afternoon session was devoted to 'the Scouters who brought forward remits for the fuller meeting of committee delegates in the evening. The Commissioner Mr C. Kingsley-Smith 9 presided at both meetings. Amongst those attending from Tauranga was Hon. B. C. Robins, M.L.C., and Honorary Commissioner C. F. both of whom took an active part in the discussion. At. 10 p.m. the meeting adjourned as the guests of the Caledonian Society to supper with the members of the Junior Club of that organisation. In his. annual report the Commissioner said that the year, in spite of war liandicaps i such as travel restrictions: and supply shortages, had been an eventful one from a Scouting point of view. They had held a successful Rally, a most instructive training camp and built up the Scout jiopulation to just over 500. There were still greater things in mind for the new year, and for that reason, he trusted that those workers who had been with the. movement so long would be with it as it continued to grapple with increased responsibility in the post-war years.

He referred to the the district and training camps; held during the ycar f and Scouting activities generally, and concluded by saying: "There is every indication that, the war will soon be over. From my point of view Scouting in the coming years- will be more vital than ever. The message of brotherhood which the movement conveys must be linked up with the world of the future if Avars- are to be overcome. Scouting can and must play a vital part, in healing the wounds of tile present conflict and of overcoming the hatred which it has engendered. A new antf 3 enlightenexl outlook is needed for the world and scouting definitely has it. Ladies and gentlemen ours is the stewardship and the task of serving mankind. Let. us do it willingly and unreservedly."

The secretary,, Mr Ward Allen, read the balance sheet which revealed the credit of £39, and was adopted.

In the. election of officers, Mr W. G. C. Hurst (Oliope) was appointed and Mr Ward Allen (Tauranga) assistant secretary. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Allen for his great interest in the movement over a long period. The Commissioner announced also that Mr G. .F. Christian of Tauranga had been appointed Honorary Commissioner. The ques'tiQn of adopting the County Scheme was discusscd and the Commissioner was to gather as much information as possible on the subject when attending the annual conference at Wellington and report back. It was decided to hold a district camp early in the. new year of 1945 the choice of venue being left to a special committee comprising the Commissioner and S.M.& Ferguson and C. F. Thomas. It was suggested that the site be Lake Rotoma, as in the past. The next Rally will be determined when the Te Puke delegates meet their committee. If possible it will be held there with the help of the Tauranga delegates,, but failing that it will be held in Whakatane. For the purpose of setting up constitutional rules to cover the control of future Rallies, and to define the running off of the various- events a committee comprising Scoutmasters W. Allen, C. Murdoch and A. Ridder was set up. to go into the whole matter and draw up a tentative set of

rules, for submission to the Commissioner and District Secretary ? and later circulation amongst all troops. The question of badges occupied the meeting for some time. and eventually it was decided to accept the recommendation of the, Scouter's conference adopting the 'questionnaire,' scheme in vogue in Wliakatane and submitting it to Headquarters for possible, adoption throughout New Zealand. Concluding the chairman appealed for greater co-operation and un(Confcinued in next column)

derstanding between all youth movements. and asked Scoute,rs wherever possible to extend the hand of friendship to other youth organisations and work in with it. A special vote of thanks was acr corded Hon. B. C. Robins for his unfailing interest and the meeting closed with a prayer offered by Honorary Commissioner Christian.