Guiding Commissioner Recounts The History Of Girl Guides In N.Z.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 35, 6 April 1948, Page 5

Guiding Commissioner Recounts The History Of Girl Guides In N.Z.

“In New Zealand the Girl Guide Movement was started by Colonel Cossgrove, Dominion Chief Scout, who had met Lord Baden Powell at the South African War,” said Mrs P. G. M. Santon, District Guiding Commissioner when interviewed by the Beacon recently regarding the history of the Guiding Movement in New, Zealand. “Colonel Cossgrove with the help of his wife, started the “Girl Peace Scouts,” as they were first called here, and many Guides made their first acquaintance with the principals of Guiding as Peace Scouts. We are now going ahead in New Zealand, and every province and nearly every town has Companies of Guides, who are eagerly taking part in the hikes, games, the camping and the social service, which together make up the great world of Guiding. “The Girl Guide Movement has been formed for the purpose of developing good citizenship among girls by forming their character, training them in habits of observation, obedience and self-reliance inculcating loyalty and thoughtfulness for others) teaching them services- useful to the public and handicrafts useful to themselves; promoting their physical development, making them capable of keeping good homes and bringing up good children. Its desire is to co-operate with educational and other bodies working to this end.” Mrs Santon continued, “The visit of the world Chief Guide Lady Baden Powell, is being eagerly anticipated by the Whakatane District Girl Guides—and it is hoped that all ex Guides and those interested in the movement will be present at the Civic Reception on Thursday, May 6. “Is it a reflection on the modern trend, that the average adolescent of today appears unable to remain interested for long in one hobby or sport, that Whakatane possesses only one Guide Company and that numerically smaller than some of the outlying villages—where distance from the ' weekly meeting points places the village company at a disadvantage? “This may be due to lack of information “and the knowledge that any child who wishes to become a Guide would receive a warm welcome from the Whakatane Guide Company,” concluded Mrs Santon.