A Year’s Scouting Reviewed By County Commissioner At Annual Conference On Saturday

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 76, 2 August 1948, Page 5

A Year’s Scouting Reviewed By County Commissioner At Annual Conference On Saturday

Those figures were given by the County Scout Commissioner, Mr C. Kingsley-Smith, at the County Conference of the Bay of Plenty Boy Scouts Association on Saturday. The Commissioner said the year had been far from satisfactory so far as active scouting was concerned, mainly on account of the paralysis epidemic, but he commended all concerned on their continued loyalty to and work for the movement. “In reviewing the County, he said in his report, “it is well to com.mence at, the southern end, and to compliment Opotiki upon the continued progress which has been, made in that centre. Under Commissioner Jones excellent work was •done and with Acting-Commission-er McDonald now holding the reins there is every prospect of yet another troop being started in that town. We commend S.M. Newall, for liis splendid work and wish the L.A. well. At Waiotahi S.M. Toone continues to do good' work with his boys. In the Whakatane area, the departure of D.S.M. Don Scott for Pongakawa was a serious loss, and we trust he will yet interest himself in scouting in his new sphere. .Awakeri under S.M. Howell, Edgecumbe under , S.M. Fraser, Otakiri under S.M. Mackrell and Thornton under S.M. Law are all moving ahead steadily, though I am sorry to note the recess of the Cub Packs at both Awakeri and Thornton. In Whakatane, Scouting is still badly in need of a Scoutmaster and unless •one shows up in the very near future the very existence of the troop is in jeopardy. Cubs on the other hand were never stronger. In the Taurahga area, progress has been well maintained at Mount Maunganui. We are glad to note Charlie Murdoch’s return to the S6uthern Cross Sea Scouts, and also the progress of the Tauranga'troop. At Gate Pa, the boys make progress under A.S.M. McKinlay, though Bethlehem still remains in recess; like Oropi and Waiohou they await the arrival of Scoutmasters. We learn with considerable satisfaction of, the formation of a new Sea Scout troop at Pahoia and join in wishing, committee and officials the best of ( luck and good scouting generally. Katikati also continues to make good headway while in Waihi we note with pleasure fine work by both St John’s troop’and by the newly formed Red Shield unit. 'Pan-Pacific Jamboree “With the return of the boys from the French Jamboree, it was only jnatural that considerable interest would be focussed upon the Australian fixture (Pan-Pacific Jamboree) to be held in the Commonwealth next Christmas. Unfortunately Dominion Headquarters has decided upon a token contingent only,' comprising a total of 65 in all. On the basis of the Scout population in all districts the Bay of Plenty will only r be eligible to send two. Commissionerships “Delegates will recall my announcement last annual meeting regarding my resignation. At that moment I fully intended carrying • out my decision just as soon as I ♦could find a suitable successor. How•ever in the face of Commissioner

According to the recent census the total number of Scouts, Cubs and Scouters in the Bay is now 462 (a decrease of 12 on last year’s figure). Unwarranted workers total 159, making in all a scouting community of 621. Scouts under the respective Local Associations may be grouped as under: Tauranga 213, Whakatane 144, and Opotiki 70. In the Bay at present there are 22 Scouters, 12 Cubmasters, 4 Commissioners, 181 Scouts, 48 Sea Scouts and 195 Cubs.

Jones’s removal to Whangarei, Commissioner Roberts’ decision to resign as from tonight’s meeting, and. Commissioner Matthews’ similar ' intimation to me I decided that I could not take the drastic step until J saw a better state of affairs; ahead. It will be my responsibility to fill the gaps as they occur, and I am thankful for the timeiy arrival of Mr McDonald in Opotiki, who willingly undertook the position of Commissioner following Mr Jones’ departure. In the meantime, with the help of Honorary Commissioner Christian of Tauranga, I intend carrying on to the best of my ability, but I regret my almost com- 1 plete inability to travel and visit outlying troops as I should. Groups In Recess “It is with considerable disappointment that one notes the continued recess of so 1 many good troops and Packs. I refer to Lake Rotoma, to Waiohau. Onepu, Whakatane Sea 'Scouts. Oropi, Bethlehem, and the Te Puke group. In all cases it is the lack of suitable Scouters that has made it necessary to cease activities. I feel it imperative that if we are to go forward in Scouting, Dominion Headquarters must evolve a scheme whereby suitable Scouters are being steadily trained and sent out to assist in the maintenance of existing groups and in the founding of new ones: Unless something like this can be managed I fear that a general decline must set in. Thanks to Workers “I would again as in past years, take advantage of this meeting to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to that unselfish band of youth workers who continue to conduct the training of Scouts and Cubs in pur County. I must thank Commissioners, Scouters and Cubbers alike for giving so much of their time and substance in order to serve the grand ideals of Scouting. 1 also include in these remarks the large number of lay-:workers who fill the ranks of our committees and who foster the movement so well /in that capacity.

The Faithful Few “There are hundreds of boys in this area of ours who would join up if we but had the men to take an interest in them. We note still the tendency to leave all the work to the faithful few. Young eligible men who should be taking an interest in youth training seem to be coming less and less interested in spite of the increasing hours of leisure. Likewise public recognition of the full worth of the movement and its ideals, is particularly poor. The attitude of some parents, it would seem, almost amounts to a desire to leave all the training to others providing they themselves can avoid responsibility either financially or morally. “To the thinkers however, it is very obvious today that Scouting as a world movement pledged to the brotherhood of mankind is absolutely essential in combating the international distrust which all too soon after the last calamity is sweeping the people of the world. It is therefore with a sense of these higher values in mind that I appeal to one and all to maintain the code that is dedicated to healthy broadminded youth the world over.”