GUIDE ANNIVERSARY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 13, 3 October 1944, Page 5

GUIDE ANNIVERSARY

IMPRESSIVE CHURCH SERVICE

SCENES IN DOMAIN

Brilliant sunshine favoured the church service held from the Whakatane Domain Band Rotunda last Sunday afternoon to mark the opening of the week's' activities in connection with the 21st anniversary of the Girl Guide movement in New Zealand. The full Guide Company attended together with the Brownie pack and associated 1 with the ceremony were the two local' scou\t tro«ps and the cubs.

The whole of the ceremony in its ideal surroundings was an inspiration to all who attended and will not be easily forgotten by the young people who made up the majority of the audience.

The Boys' Band, looking smart in the new uniforms - which members were wearing lor the first time headed a procession which was under the control of Scoutmaster T. H. Fergusson from Francis Street.

The District Guide with Lieut. M. Reardon, were in charge of the guide section. The whole parade drew up on three sides of the band rotunda where the band was accommodated.

"I wish to congratulate the Guide movement on attaining its majority in New Zealand," said the Rev. A. F. Attwood in preface, to a telling address to the assembly. "These anniversaries are like milestones OD' our journey and when achieved, carry with them the. joy of accomplishment."

The test of any good movement, he considered was whether or not that movement had justified its existence. in a community or country, by improving or'moving better the lives of those it had contacted. The little girls who joined up with the Guide movement 21 years ago would be noAV adults,, and many of them mothers of children. Guiding would, therefore he tested in the thought as to whether or nit it had made them better mothers and better parents than the.y would have been had they not joined the movement. He went on to say that no journey was profitable without having some goal in view, and that same theme ap- 1 plied to the individual. It was a thrill to wear the uniform, and it w r as a legitimate to draw a joy from being a member of the organisation. That however, was merely 'fruit by the way' and the real goal to be aimed at was tiie absorbing into one's character of the ideals and the teachings of the, movement concerned. Each one of the guides present, should set for herself a goal to be attained. They should endeavour to be Guides in the full meaning of the word. He instanced ,two types of guides—one who merely pointed the way, and the other who actually led along the way, and he urged his hearers to emulate the latter.

The best guides, he said in conclusion would /be those who followed closely the. greatest guide of all— the Saviour.

Breward gave a short scripture reading from St. John's Gospel Chapter 15: "I am the true vine and my father is the husbandman." The Rev. J. C. J. Wilson conducted the, prayers and gave the benediction. Hymns sung during the ceremony were; "All Hail The Power of Jesu's Name"; "Eternal Father Strong To Save"; "Stand Up Stand Up For Jesus''; and "God Defend New Zealand." ANNIVERSARY BONFIRE

LARGE CROWD AT HEADS

Although the bonefire 1 was> rather smaller than the opening of the Girl Guide anniversary cele<brations last-Saturday evening drew a large crowd to the- Heads where was enacted the special campfire ceremony which was carried out throjugh the length and breadth of the Dominion.

The act of lighting the bonfire was carried out in impressive fashion. the five torch-bearers, coming forward and reciting their respective lines before plunging the ilame into the heart of the. bonfire. The torch-bearers were Lieut. M. Reardon Brown Owl J. Ramson Patrol Leader Jocelyn Wilson and Tenderr foot Judith Hansen.

"Twenty-one years ago, the. light of guiding was kindled in New Zealand " said Commissioner Barry. "Today we look not only to the past but also to the future, and we ask

ourselves what may we do that in the years to come the. light of guiding shall not be dimmed but may burn more steadily. The light was kindled with courage and enthusiasm with a belief in all for which guiding stands*"

As the fire blazed up it was greeted with and no time was lost in entering into the campfire atmosphere.. Fireside songs- and items were the order of the even,ing and evoked warm applause. A session of community singing with Mr Roland King as leader also proved most popular and following a welcome mug of cocoa brewed on the spot, the gathering broke up with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."