GIRL GUIDES' RALLY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21419, 11 March 1935, Page 7

GIRL GUIDES' RALLY

2000 in Spectacular Display CHIEF SCOUT AND CHIEF GUIDE HONOURED To honour the visit of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell girl guides, brownies, and ranger:; to the number of about 2000 took part in a rally at the Show Grounds on Saturday afternoon. The rally demons!rated in a spectacular manner many attractive aspects of guiding work, and the folk • lancing, .skipping, and other items which were given during the afternoon were efficient, clever, and interesting. The many troops at the rally represented all parts of Christchurch and much of rural Canterbury from as far south as Geraldine. There was a | large attendance of the public, and the whole raMy was convincing proof of the popularity and size of the guiding movement in the pravince. The arrangements were carried out without a hitch, and the display was a credit to those responsible for its organisation. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, who entered keenly into the spirit of the rally, which was the second they have attended in Christchurch, were accorded a warm welcome on Iheir arrival, and I heir departure after I lie rally was made lo the kind accompaniment of .youthful cheer;-;. The organise)" war. Mi;;s Molly Max well, District Ranger Captain, and Miss Bromley Corks, Canterbury Provincial Commissioner, was m chars** of the display. There were alio present, divisional and district cotnmis sinners from all parts of Canterbury, and tlu; Chief Commissioner for New Zealand, Miss Ruth Herriek. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell were accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Granville Walton, Rovers Headquarters Commissioner, and Mrs Walton, Wolf Cub Commissioner. Guard of Honour Inspected On arrival at the grounds the Chief Guide and the Chief Scout inspected a guard of honour, and after chatting with officers and with members of the guard Lord and Lady Baden-Powell were escorted to a dais. The National Anthem was sung, followed by the saluting and the breaking of the colours. Each of the many guide troops present at I he rally marched past, receiving I he salute from the Chief Guide and (he Chief Seoul. This march past of smartly uniformed guides swinging along in perfect unison was an impressive tribute to the standard which guiding has readied in Canterbury, and the sight drew much applause. Following the march past of the guides came the brownies' "trot past." Trotting daintily to spirited hand music and harnessed with multi-coloured ribbons, the hundreds of uniformed children in a rhythmical salute to the leaders of their movement made an appealing and a pretty sight, and the performance of the little ones was greatly appreciated by the crowd. Lady Baden-Powell said that she was more than delighted at the sight of such a splendid assembly. Four years before, when the Chief Scout and herself had been in Christchurch, they had attended a guide rally in the same grounds, and it was now pleasant to have the feeling of renewing old friendships. She was pleased to see such evident proof that the same keenness and enthusiasm was still being maintained in the guiding movement in Christchurch. A striking feature of the march past of the g.uides had been the wide and cheery smiles on the faces of those who took part, and these smiles told their own tale of the value of guiding and the happiness to be found in it, said Lady Baden-Powell. The previous rally in Christchurch which she had attended four years ago had always been remembered as one of the best that they had seen in any part of the world, continued the Chief Guide. The present tour which she and Lord Baden-Powell had made through New Zealand had given remarkable evidence that the guiding movement was growing apace. Thanks for this were due to the guides themselves, the officers and commissioners, and particularly the Chief Commissioner, Miss Ruth Herriek. Lady Baden-Powell then introduced Miss Herriek to the guides on parade, and the chief commissioner's salute was followed by a burst of applause. It was not only in New Zealand that guiding had developed, continued Lady Baden-Powell. It had spread throughout the British Empire and in many other countries besides, and there were now many thousands of guides throughout the world each doing her best to make herself a first-class citizen of her own country. Message From Princess Mary Lady Baden-Powell then read a message from the Princess Royal, who she said had gone through the same work and passed the same tests as many guides present. The message was as follo'/s: — "I a..i anxious to send through the Chief Guide, a message to the guides and brownies of the countries she is visiting. I follow your progress with great interest and wish the movement and all its members prosperity and happiness. May guiding ever grow and thrive in your country, and be an incentive in your own lives to spread the spirit of service and good-fellow-ship amongst you." Lord Baden-Powell in a short speech said that he was delighted to have another opportunity to see how the great guiding family was growing and flourishing. He and Lady BadenPowell had just: been attending the huge Scout rally in Australia. It had been a wonderful assembly but in its own way this rally of guides was just as wonderful, as showing the enthusiasm for guiding in the province of Canterbury. By the many proficiency and long-service badges he had noticed worn by guides in the march past, he could tell that there were many who had been years in the movement and whose keenness was ever increasing. Guides by their work and by their attitude towards life could give everyone the example of how to be both happy and useful in the lives that God had given them, concluded the Chief Scout. The Items Following the addresses there were exhibitions of guide and brownie work that drew favourable comment and applause from the crowd. Most of the displays were done to music provided by the First Canterbury Regimental Band. A massed physical drill display by 230 guides was a popular part of the programme, and showed evidence of careful training over a long period. Massed drill to music is always interesting and the display on Saturday would have been a credit to any instructor. The folk-dancing, which was both spectacular and rhythmical, consisted of three items, "Hey boys, up we go," "Lady Shelf on," and "Christchurch Bells." Of equal merit was the Flamborough Sword Dance performed by the Canterbory Rangers. A balloon relay race, in which skill in various phases of guidecraft counted as much as speed in running, and a tent-pitching competition, which was wton by the Linwood Ranger troop, were evenly contested ancl interesting. The item given by the brownies, the "Grand Howl," and a singing game, "Babes" in the Woe were perhaps the most enjoyed items of the afternoon. The children obviously enjoyed their display even more than those who saw it, and the various and

intricate parts of the game, which was partly a folk-dance, were splendidly done. During the brownies' share of the programme Lady Baden-Powell herself went on the ground, and stood in the centre of the children. Skipping to music by a number of guides was another well executed display. The concluding item on the programme was carried out by all who attended the rally. Round the flagpole, guides, brownies, and rangers formed in horseshoe formation and with crossed arms sang "Taps," a song which is sung by guides in all parts of the world. For this ceremony Lord and Lady Baden-Powell again went on the dais, and after the singing of the guide song, cheers were given for the Chief Scout and Chief Guide and for the King.