THE BOY SCOUT CHIEF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1452, 29 May 1912, Page 6

THE BOY SCOUT CHIEF.

"8.P." IN AUCKLAND, HIS IMPRESSIONS. AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. ißy Telecraph— "reas Association.} Auckland, May 28. The founder of the Boy Scout movement, General' Kir I!. Baden-I'owell, who is 011 a lecturing tour of tho world, arrived in Auckland this morning by the Wimmera from Sydney. The steamer, which was delayed by bad weather, was a day late, and made port early this morning, but in .spite oi' that (net there was a largo number of Scouts on the wharf to meet their chief. The General, who was met by Captains Shannon and M'Dougal (his Excellency's A.D.C.'s), Colonel Co.vsgiove (Dominion Chief Scout), and District Commander H. Stebbing, was driven to Government House, whero ho was tho guest of his Excellency tho Governor during tho day. Seen by a ronortor shortly after his arrival, the General, referring to his impressions of his short visit to Australia, said lie was gratified at tho strides the movement had mado in these parts. Comparing tho boys of the New- Land with the Homo boys ho Said that the colonials were brighter and smarter, but seemed to him to be in need of discipline. In' the Old Country they wero fostering the movement in order to mako good intelligent citizens of the youths. In tho colonies there was not tho same need of training to develop the lads, but stiill tho training would bo of great value in other ways. It would teach them discipline and would lie splendid groundwork for servico with tho lie was not quite sure what relation. Scouts would bear to cadets under the New Zealand system, and was to interview the Government 011 that point. Personally 110 did not think they could get anything better than, say, two years' training as a Scout, and then finish off with cadets. As Scouts they learned things that wero not possible to bo imparted on the parade ground. Ho saw no reason why one movement should not bo tho complement of tho other.

Sea Scouts. "One branch you have not yet tackled out here," said the General, "is the sea scouts, as we term them in Australia. When I mentioned the matter they seized 011 it readily. The lads hare what they call their guard ship in the harbour, generally an old hulk, and they spend the week-ends on board. Wo teach them how to handle boats, keep a look-out in bad weather along the coast, ctc. Ah important part of the work is instructing them in life-saving, etc., and wo also instruct theni in fishing. Wo linvo a lot of lads in this sea-scouting work round the coast of England, and they have been recognised, unsolicited, by coastguard service and Admiralty. I think there are great possibilities in it as a recruiting ground for the Navy and tho mercantile marine, and I should havo thought that in a country like New Zealand, with its oxtensivo coast line, .-that this department would appeal to your people." _ Speaking of the compulsory training system of the Dominion, the General remarked that he was glad we had got a start as soon as wo had. Ho was much impressed with the activity he noticed in tho East among tho CWneso and tho Japanese, and said that there was no telling what direction their energies would expand. The Chinese wero highly intelligent, and the Japs, wero aggressive, so that it was just as well to be prepared for whatever might happen when they were looking round for soino place in which to spread. The Civic Reception. The Jlayor and city councillors tendered the Chief Scout a reception on behalf of the city, in the concert room of tho Town Hall. General Baden-Powell, who was rousingly cheered, thanked, the Auckland people for . their handsome.- presents sent to him at the time of the relief of Jlafeking, and spoke highly of tho personal bravery of the New Zealanders engaged in that unfortunate war. Speaking of the teaching of tho scout movement, lie said that tho old days of the machine-mndo soldier wero done. Nowadays ono had to appeal to the intelligence of tho man. Tho discipline needed to-day was of a different character It was the discipline that arose from a sense of duty, ami this was where the Scout movement camo in. They put the boy to train himself, merely suggesting what he should do. They gave him the ideas, and trusted to his senso of honour to do his best. If tliey put a boy on his honour, said tho General, they would find that they could trust him. This sort of thing appealed to higher instincts than the old parade-ground form of discipline, and to do any real good it was absolutely essential to got tho boy in his "malleable'' age. . Cheers were given for the General, and the audience sang "For Ho's a Jolly Good Feliow."

The Scout Parade, After the civic reception to General Baden-Powell, a parade was held in the Domain, at which between two and three thousand Cadets were present, and about four hundred Scouts. Colonel Wolfe was in command. When the Governor arrived at the saluting point, accompanied by the Chief Scout, the Boy Scouts received tlieir chief with a Scout "rally," the Cadets standing to attention. After inspection, tlio boys inarched past. The •Scouts subsequently gave a display of bridge-buildiug, signalling, etc. At the conclusion of the parade the boys were formed up into three sides of a square, and addressed by his Excellency and General Baden-Powell. The General gave a lecture in the Town Hall to-night, subsequently leaving for the south. _________