BOY SCOUTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 206, 26 May 1921, Page 6

BOY SCOUTS

DOMINION CONFERENCE SPEECH BY THE GOVERNORGENERAL DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP Chief Scout His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General (Viscount Jellicoe) presided at the opening of the Dominion Boy Scouts Association Conference in the City Council Chambers yesterday morning. Tho following delegates were present: —Captain D. C. M. Cossgrove (Dominion Chief Commissioner), BrigadierGeneral A. W. Andrew (chairman of the executive), Messrs. Johnson (West Auckland province), Stubbing (Central Auckland), King (North Hawke’s Bay), Lovell (Central Hawke’s Bay), Campbell (Wanganui), D. D. Milligan (Nelson), Carrington (Central Canterbury), Stead (South Canterbury), H. If. South (Christichurch), H. S. J. Goodman (Christchurch), and L. M. Isitt (Christchurch), the Rev. Mr. Mitchell (East Auckland), Dr. I/atchmore (South-east Auckland), Captain Bellamy (South Auckland), Miss Wilson (North Wellington), the Rev. T. Feilden Taylor (South Wellington), Major Fleming (South Otago). Major Tatum (Manakau), Brigadier Hoare (Wellington), and Major Sandle (Auckland). In welcoming the Governor-General, Biigadier-General Andrew eaid: “That you have come here to preside is a matter of greatest; gratification. It places us and the Boy Scouts of the Dominion under an obligation to you which I feel we shall scarcely be able to fulfil. You are the first Governor-General who has taken so practical an interest in the development of this work in which we are engaged. In those present at this conference you will find a most loyal and zealous body of men.”

The Governor’s Address.

The Governor-General, who, on rising to speak, was greeted with applause, stated that it was not only a pleasure to attend the conference, but he felt that he was carrying out a duty. “I know so well that this Boy Scout movement Is one of the most important taking place in the Empire to-day,” he said. One thing more than another that will lead the ’people of this great Empire in the direction in which there lies not only right, but their prosperity, is to bring up the young idea, the youth 01 the Empire, in their duties of citizenship. And citizenship is at the bottom of the whole scout training.” It was a source of gratification to him to see so many prominent citizens from different parts of the Dominion who were going to so much trouble to forward the movement. He expressed tho hope that the conference would be one of great success. The Boy Scout movement depended, for its success uvon the self-sacrifice of those who devoted their time and money, to it No words could express the admiration he felt, and which, lie was sure, was felt by everybody in the Empire, for the public spirit shown by all those associated with tho movement. They were all entitled to the gratitude of the citizens. “I do pray,” he said, "that this movement in the Dominion will be the greatest possible success. The loyalty, tho well-known loyalty of Now Zea land, is one of t he causes which will bring to the Boy Scout movement success as great as. I hope, or even greater than in any other‘part of the British Empire. I feeil assured that success is coining.” Tn conclusion His Excellency stated that he felt it a very great honour to be associated with the movement in his position as Chief Scout of the Dominion. (Applause.) Remarks By Chairman.

The annual report and balance-sheet were taken as road. In moving their adoption tho chairman (Brigadier-Gen-eral Andrew) said that the year had been one of real progress. That was as it should be. Thare could bo no marking time for sucn a increment. Tt must either march onwards and upwards or it must perish. There was no finality in the organisation and administration of tho ever-expandins* scout movement. Whatever was done, left a great deal more to do. . T i “There is one matter to which 1 desire to inrite your attention.” said General Andrew; "The idea appears to be gaining ground that our Boyscout movement is a military organisation, that it fosters and encourages militarism. Nothin? could be farther from the truth. We aro absolutely and entirely agawst mi ifarism, or government by military to military ends. We have no intention of making the boys into soldiers or of teachin-’ them blood-thirstiness. At the same time they are taught that a citizen must be raenared to take his fair share among his fellows in the defence of his rountry against aggression in. return for the safety and freedom enjoyed by him as an inhabitant. Now, I am not rat aU certain, but that some of our officer are responsible for tne impression that has abroad that we are tkaranig our lads to be soldiers. I see remits marching in procession with soldiers, scoutmasters and boys wearing military equipment, and I hear wont balls resounding military words of command °ui scout uniform is protected by Act of Parliament, and it is the bounder duty O P f every officer to see that it is adhere/ to This council may recommend t . if be altered if found unsatisfactory, but nending any such action no one. not even our Chief Commissioner, can sanction n alteration. And finally, an officer who car do nothing better than drill h ’ £l° ?s wasting his own time «s well thetes. Oinr object is the development of individual character, to which drilling n touad is the verv negation. ‘ The statement of fnre showed receipts tot ailing 2d and expenditure amounting to £169. f.d„ leaving a credit balance of 9 report and balance-sheet were a 'on\he suggestion of Mr L. Isitt, M.P.. il was decMed to discus finance proposals for the future m committee.

SCHEME OF RFORfiANISATION

qUBMTTTirn BY CTTIP.F COMMTS-f-TONER COSSGROVE.

The outline of a scheme for the complete reorganisation of the Scout movenveut in Now Zealand was placed before delegates by Chief Commissioner Cossgrove- The suggested scheme provides f or —A provincial commissioner, with deputy-commissioners in all the larger centres in his province; a provincial council; a provincial headquarters office and paid clerk; local associations; louil executive committees; sc masters; representation from the churches; board of examiners; and troop C °Appended are extracts from the draft provincial commissioner will be the official representative of the Dominion Executive Committee chan man of the provincial council, and, in hs town chairman of the ‘issomation and local executive committee, if pos sib c Where this is not possible for any person, the local association and the local Executive commattoe will elect then own chairmen, who must not be Scout officers, except in the case of a deputycommissioner, who may bo <; y™"j The provincial commissioners duties will lie confined, primarily to inspection of troops, presiding at meetings of the provincial council, and acting as; deput) ',!■ p,e Dominion Chief Scout < <»nmmeioner when required so to do by that, officer or bv the Dominion Executive. He will only'exercise command oi troops when two or more local associat ions ate participating- in a combined parade. lie may delegate his right of command to

any' officer. As chairman of a local association 'or local executive committee he will not give any decision in his capacity of provincial commissioner without referring to his council or tho Dominion Executive Committee. Where he disagrees with a decision, of his council he will refer the matter to tho Dominion Executive Committee or tho Dominion Council.

Tho provincial council will be elected annually by local associations in tho province, and may invite, by majority vote, prominent citizens to a seat and vote on the council. These unofficial members will bo appointed for the year, but may be reappointed from year to year by the council. Elected members of the council will be eligible for reelection. Officers and other members of a local association will bo eligible for election to the Provincial Council.

As soon as funds permit, a provincial headquarters’ office, with a paid clerk (either whole or part-time as may lie necessary) will be established in each province. The clerk will act as provincial secretary; secretary to the provincial council, secretary to the local association in his town of residence, and also secretary of that association’s local executive committee. (Outside that city or town, tho local associations will elect one of their own number to act as honorary secretary, who will send all his communications through tho provincial secretary.).

In every’ area where the Scout troops can be conveniently grouped together for administrative and inspeetional purposes, the Scout government of the area will bo exercised by a local association. Each local association will comprise:—The provincial commissioner or deputy-com-missioner as chairman; every scoutmaster in charge of a troop; tho members of each troop committee; non-official members invited te a seat and vote on the local association by majority vote of the association; representatives from the churches and other bodies; inspectors; badge examiners. The provincial commissioner and hit deputy-commissioner together with tho inspectors will be members, ex officio, of the local executive committee.

Every troop within the area ehall have a troop committee elected at the anmial meeting of the troop. This commiwee shall comp« - ise not more than four nor less than two members, who should, if possible, be parents of boys in the troop. The scoutmaster ehall be a member, ex officio, of his troop committee. They must be pledged, hetero election, to carry on the troop in the event of the scoutmaster leaving the troop tor any cause. Each local association will elect annually a local executive committee of not less than five members nor more than nine members—not including officers who have been designated as ex officio members of the executive. The local executive committee will, under tho orders of the local association, govern the Scout movement in its area. In older that the local association may maintain an even standard of efficiency throughout their area, they may, with the consent of tho troop committees concerned, transfer a scoutmaster, assistant scoutmaster, or instructor from one troop to any other troqp; always provided that such transfer does not put him to extra expense in travelling to the place of meeting of the troop. In every case tho transfer must be recorded at local and provincial headquarters and Dominion headquarters advised. Commissions will, in future, bp issued to officers not for any particular troop, but for the Dominion. . Shortly, the scheme provides for the government of the scoutmasters and their boys by the scoutmasters of their area and by the parents of their boys. The local association is thus practically in sole control antbwill bo expected to settle all the troubles and difficulties which have hitherto been referred to the Dominion Chief Commissioner or the Dominion Executive Committee. Tho provincial councils are an advisory body to local associations and only adjudicate in cases of dispute between local associations or on matters referred by a local association. Command is only exercised, in the military sense, by tho Dominion Chief Commissioner; by a provincial commissioner on special occasions; by an inspector on special occasions, and by a scoutmaster on ■ all occasions when his troop is on ■ parade or in camp. On combined parade.?, troops will take post according to their seniority as Sea Rovers, Sea Scouts, Land Rovers, Boy Scouts, or Junior Scouts, in that order. Within these divisions troops will lake seniority of place in accordance with the table ot seniority to be prepared by each local association, or provincial council, or the Dominion Executive, where the decision of higher authority is required. The scheme has yet to be discussed. Matters discussed last evening included the proposed new uniforms for scoutmaster and for scouts. It was decided to describe to the commissioners the uniform worn by the chief commissioner, which consists of grey Norfolk J acket > giev shorts, for service, knee-breeches and stockings ter dress wear, and trousers for evening wear, with the 15.1. hat The discussion as to scouts uniforms resolved itself into the old problem, "blue v. khaki.” The eonference thought that blue shorts and khaki lell hat should be suggested, to troop committees. . , The conference will meet again - 11 a.m. to-day.