SCOUT JAMBOREE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 8

SCOUT JAMBOREE

American Party Returning From Australia BROTHERHOOD OF NATIONS International frontiers dissolved in an atmosphere of brotherly goodwill among the 10,000 Boy Scouts who attended the recent jamboree at Melbourne held in connection with the Centenary celebrations, said Mr. F. C. Henderson, educational director of the Seattle area council, controlling the scout movement in that territory. He is the leader of the American delegation of ten scouts, which arrived at Wellington yesterday by the Monowai from Sydney on their way back to the United States.

Seven of the party, said Mr. Henderson, were from the Seattle district, and three were from Pennsylvania, California and Wisconsin. The boys had already made a cotnprehensive tour before reaching Australia. They spent eight days in Japan and another eight in and around Shanghai, where they met the chief scout of China. A few days were passed profitably at HongKong and one day at Manila, where the party joined forces with three scouts from Hong-Kong, also en route to the jamboree.

“We were tremendously impressed with the hospitality of the Australian people,” said Mr. Henderson, “and with the efficiency of the arrangements. I attended the world jamboree in England in 1929, and, wonderful as that was, I think the Aielbourne event was equally as well conducted and as interesting. The camp organisation was very tine. We met scouts of Asia, Europe and the British Doyninions as brothers. For us there was no difference of nationality. One of our main parts in the jamboree was an exhibition of light-weight mountaineering equipment.” Mr. Henderson mentioned that the party would visit Waitomo Caves and Rotorua, and would camp on the way north before joining a ship at Auckland for their return to the United States by way of Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii. They were anxious to see more of New Zealand Boy Scouts, as they had been impressed by the fine bearing of the Dominion detachment at the jamboree. The Chief Scout, Lord Baden Powell, was an inspiration to all who had attended the jamboree. “I am glad to say he is in good health,” said Air. Henderson.