SCOUT NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 6

SCOUT NOTES.

TTJXCr»TJBIV» TQ THE PBEBB.]

[By The Metrofolitak Commjssionkk

At the Scoutcrs' mooting last week there were several country Scoutmasters who, I "hope, went back with a good deal of information about the rally and scouting in general. It is impossible for country troops to keep up-to-date unless their officers come to town sometimes. Of course the theory is that they should be visited periodically by Commissioners: the diliiculty at headquarters is to get them. Wo want one badly for Ashburton, Mothven, Amberley, and liangioia. Have you any suggestions'? One country Scoutmaster complained that his troop had been visited only twice in oight years. I wonder how often in those years' he had attended scouters' meetings.

Ho mado us all laugh by explaining his dillicultieß. M Of course I have to answer all tho questions tho Bcoutr put to mo, but you can't bluff thorn all tho tiniel ,, Ho went away witli a copy of tho P.0.1i.j and by the time he finishes reading it the Scouts will not bo able to puzzle him much.

We had bad luck for the rehearsal on Saturday. It did rain, But tho weather cleared later, and over 100 Scouts turned up, some coming from fiangiora. G.B.M. Dyer gave us a sample ®f tho haka, and theru is np doubt this will bo a success. Then Commissioner Crawpton took tho march past in I and. If the Scoutmasters will only take note of tho impressive way in whMi he says "Troop! Eyes right!" giving tho name of the troop so that it can bo heard all over the grandstand, the Chief Scout will at once realise that our Scouts know what it i» to be. alert. We don't, want military drill, but we do want the Scouts to march as »f tjioy were proud of themselves,

One thing is certain, the "Grind Hush'* will be a great success, liven with the handful of Scouts on Saturday it was thrilling to see then) racing along, stop dead, and raise their cap« on thoir staves as they cheered. But it should be a sort ot handicap race: the little chaps should have a good start $© that they will all arrive at the same time.

A very interesting letter Has been received from Commissioner Cookseyf of Napier, describing the earthquake. Wo regret very much to hear of tb« death of one A.S.M, and three Frimley Scouts, and we hope that Cubmaster Lovell and Scout Pocket are recovering. _ ■ Awfttaha, ' J Rissingrton, ! Napier. 11th February, 1031. Pear "B&lqq,"—I hftrdly know how to dtart this letter. This week H#» bean rather like a little bell, and not too little. You cannot imagine such a picture of destruction i wrought in a few minutes. Yprea tpok four yeivre to get Into the utate Napier was reduced to in four niluntflj. How anyone got away J don't know. Thcje is nothing left of Hastings and Napier business centre, i The list of dead mounts daily. So far M I Scouts go, I Vave beard of one, Assistants I: S.M Dniminond, Hastings, killed, and three Frunley Troop hoys; one of Esk Troop on tlia edge; Lady Cubmasator Lovell, W»i-Leti Pack, badly hurt*, and *Scout 3. Pocket also.. I cannot find out if th? Mrs Etherise i* n»y Jamboree boy's mother, OI couwe, ayery<vp# cot"V8;od m ' vet and th&o w ** no chance o{ finding anyone. , 1 m>4elf was iti tun Uttuk of my place, and saw my neighbour cutting *prub on'tho Use oi A steep gorge. 1 went over to have a word with him, and he'came up, ond-.wo S(it yarning on-the edge. - 1 was just gojne away, when suddenly the whole valley started tu collapse, and we started to slioot down tho gorge on on; hacks. , Ewythins? blotted out with dust. and rooks, Ws got to the toji on our. hands anil knpef, «nd then the ground rose in mounds about - three' feet high and hurst' up into the atr' with jst« •?! <|itt and dust. My ttaiehfcoui ysllod to me to 'throw myself on in? .lacp. '.Jbis I did until the ground opened up in front, 0' me. I took a flying loaV, only- to And the around owning all round. 1 then broke tho rocopil for ths 100 yards, I had a "game" foot, and only had a slipper on, but quite iotaot that. I mads for- another neighbour's ptafe,' ; and found his ' bouse a wreck, we then went oj» (q another qVp, »Bd" h'ifl pis o ® was the same. They got their 'cars, and w« made down to pjy place. The whole countryside was' like a jelly. When I got to my place \I found jpy chimney through tho root, all my crockery apd 'funnturs i» blls, my kitohen tuspwn out', and my , ruapw full of bricks; I got my «w out,- and m J afn of ft big hill stwiro wi^h limestone boulders I did not linger. When wo ww* to » )on|t - putting leading to the Hissington Settlement vq fouPd >t ow great slip. Wo had shovels and we worked aw*y. plafi« was Quaking every few migutee. ffowijver, wo got through' twwhim. 4 and I. niado for my cousin's plfpe, /Every pla«a •\vas ft wreck. We could see dens* rVouus ftf smoko and dust in Napier <dirf«iqn, «an 4 knew an awful disaster hid Jjappened," The plape was swaying and thumping days, afid still is, Reports like guns all day and night. 1 to get into Jiapjw next day. The roads were •ablp at first. 1 1 can't describe tho (RW4. X intended trying to organise th<t boys, but could find no one; but found boy« hfje there doing their hit. As thqse who left }n tho tqwp were. a}l attached to aomo and wprkjng well, I- gave/up the idea, and, now I can see that it' was what we them to do—act qn their on'ii. Sinee'then I heard that they are rendering splendid service. • Wangitnui sent over sonw Spouted. Wellington sent a fljlendid offer, and so did Masterton, Theie I placed before the Citizens' Committee, who were deeply gratofnl; but. a?- the place was delnged wrth helpers, thpy «.a|d they did not'want ts have any more in the area, They me to go back and organise my area, »s are, put off from food. W« »*a at .present on flee rations lontrojjpd by a committee. It all seems ao,strange; we don't know where wo aru. Everyone ia living jn tpnts and pretty jumpy. Of course, we were nl] pvetjt.y woll {.p the souti before, so this puts the lid on, who werft wealthy a week, ago are -Wt 'now worth penny. I met a -chap Ifl' yesterday who said: "This is all I'pj "worth." He had 2s 3d in his hand. "All my money we# In buildings and ♦■hevGas" Company.' That is how it is all round. But yte fn the qounti-y are well qff—we ORT live;. Wp oan t quite see our way at .twrpsent, and fell a bit dazed. I am UvJng with W cousin at present. I feel I don't-want* to go qut and clear up the mess'yet. TherV'S much to be dqno around here. Thank God, [ was noji in'town I As far as the Rally goes, I'm afraid H.B. will not be there in force. I may get to Wellington, J don't know. Sorry you did not get mv vjiie. Everythine; ia, and was, upside .down. Scouting as far as H.B. goes will "have to tal{§ n spell. But tlie Scqut spirit is flti'l and the hovs have done wel| apd the. §cautefs as wall, and I pprsbnally feel deeply fpl for {ho pppntweouß offers pf help,* ■ Well, Baloo, old chip, there aro many a and Anny x birde who can say thank God we have a Wavy and < Army. Without theip It vould have hegn' pJib.oß, C'ur rivers are now not running into "thK spa, I Jisar, so I suppose our nest event is' .a floodi—Chssrio, ' - (Sgd.) LITTLE JPHN.