SCOUT LEADERS’ CONFERENCE

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28270, 7 May 1957, Page 8

SCOUT LEADERS’ CONFERENCE

Gain In Members In District

“Since Operation Jubilee began last year, scouting in Canterbury and the West Coast has gained 166 new leaders, and 12 new scout groups.” said the Provincial Commissioner of Scouts (Sir Joseph Ward) when he opened the Canterbury scouting conference held at the week-end. Within existing groups, nine new sections had been formed, and one new local association had been constituted, he said.

Courses In preliminary training and wood badge instruction had been well attended by leaders. Sir Joseph Ward said. Another pleasing feature was the number of new scout dens built during the last year. He hoped that every group would soon have its own headquarters.

Speaking on Operation Jubilee. Sir Joseph Ward said there was a need for more lay members to help district commissioners. Local associations should look for new areas to develop, and more attention should be given to wood badges as a way to train boys to leadership. Scout “Leakages” .»

Leakages—the falling away of cubs, scouts, and scouters from the movement—was discussed by the conference. Three main reasons were traced, and conference members will give attention to these matters in their own groups. The problems are:—(l) The inefficiency of some groups, due to the lack of trained scouters. (2) More technical co-ordination between units was necessary. Care would have to be taken to see the cubs did not repeat their training when they joined the scouts. (3) Training methods also would be examined. The conference which met to discuss scout administration was considered to have given a very successful impetus to scouting in the Canterbury province. Some 70 uniform and lay scout leaders camped for the weekend at Tyndale House, Cashmere.