BOY SCOUTS' ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 41, 12 November 1920, Page 9

BOY SCOUTS' ASSOCIATION

AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION. By Telennmh -Prem Ansodatlon. Christchurch, November 11. The council' of (he Dominion Boy Scouts' Association met in conference today. Brieadier-General A. AV. Andrew, Acting-Chief Commissioner, presided over an attendance of twenty delegates, including provincial commissioners lioin various parts of the Dominion. The chairman read a letter froni tho Governor-General, who whs to have presided over the meeting, expressing his "regret at.not being- able to bo present owing to the Parliamentary cession not having concluded. The chairman said it was particularly gratifying to see so many provincial commissioners preseut. The objeot of the conference was to enable tho council to consult tho commissioners upon certain mnt.tors concerning which, they at headquarters felt they were Inciting in material Itnowlcd"c; During the past, year there hud not" been wanting indications that all was not well in the Scout movement. They should consider the movement as a whole, however, and. if tuny,sot tho "ood against tho bad they would find that the gocd was immeasurably greater than the bad. Under the guidance of their late lamented commissioner, thousands of youths of tho Dominion had been imbued with a spirit of loyalty. They had been taught to fear God and honour the King, to be respectful to their superiors and generally to pay the "time. Any one of those golden traits of character must make them better citizens. It remained for those present to carry further forward this good work. ~,,,, Tho chairman moved that tho council approve of the constitution of the Dominion Boy Scouts' Association being altered and amended in various directions' as recommended by a sub-com-mittee, the principal chango .proposed being the transfer of control from the Chief Commissioner to the executive committee, subject to the control of the council—This was carried. The chairman said that there was no intention of lessening the dignity of the otiice of Chief Commissioner; on the contrary, it was felt, that if tho Chic/ Commissioner were acting as the mouthpiece of tho committee his position would be more satisfactory to him and to the council. It was decided that the headquarters of tho association should remain in Christehuroh, but that the annual jene-

1. — < ral meeting of the council should be held alternately 'in Wellington nnd Christchurch in the month of May. The ] meeting next year will be held in Wei- e iington. It was decided that tho present conn- , cil should' remain in office for the en- ! suing year. There was a discussion as to the form - of memorial to tho late Dominion Chief Commissioner, Colonel Cossgrovo, should take, and it was decided to refer severa.l suggestions to the district commissioners to report to the executive committee in one month's time. It was unanimously resolved that the Governor-General be . requested, on be- ( .half of the Dominion Council, to re- < commend to the. Chief Scout and the Imperial Government the appointment .of. Mr. DJ C. .W. Cossgrove as Dominion , Chief Commissioner, for New Zealand. , i The chairman (for the executive) moved . >n the direction of (1) abolishing tho issue i of badges free and on payment; (2) pro- [ viding for the. issue of baflgos to district committees at 25 per cent, below headquarters landed oost, the district committees fo issuo them free or at n price' not i exceeding headquarters landed cost, and to have control of the examination for ; and reissue of badges in their own district. 'Che mover said that the Into Chief Commissioner had been strongly in favour ( of headquarters having" fulr"control, but towards tho end he had been inclined to , agree to an altern*Son on llii lines of flic motion. The laTe'Chief CommisßioneT had. felt that some scouts wore wearing - badges which they had ■ not properly earned, and to which they wore nor_en- • titled. After a lengthy discussion tiro remit was referred to. a commitUo. Arising out of a remit from Auckland . East, it was decided that "rallies" of ' . scoutmasters and duly registered oflirers be lioTtl (Turing tiio 'present summer and autuiliii in Auckland. Wellington, Christ- | i church. Duriedin. Nolson, and Pnlmer- . stou North.. • i — i