PROVINCIAL VISITORS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 4

PROVINCIAL VISITORS

Guests At Girl Guides' Executive Meeting To enable committee members from the provinces to hear a first-hand account of the Commissioners’ Conference, which took place in Hastings last week, a combined meeting of the executive and provincial committees of the Wellington Girl Guides’ Association wa s held yesterday. Mrs. Martin Tweed, provincial commissioner, presided and gave an interesting account of the conference, which she attended.

Mrs. Tweed said that, in opening the conference, the chief commissioner for New Zealand, Miss Ruth Herrick, stressed the need for a youth movement such as the girl guides, which was the only movement of its kind

in this country. For its greater success more delegation of responsibility to the younger members wars needed, so that those accustomed to being led should be given the opportunity of leading and of shouldering responsibility at an early age. It. was decided that 500 guides from 272 companies should attend the centennial camp. The camp will be held at the Tauherenikau racecourse in January, 1940, and 50 overseas guests are expected to attend.

A feature of the camp will be an overnight hike, which was decided on as a condition of the competition for the Bledisloe Cup for rangers. For the bike, marks will be given for the total weight of equipment, ingenuity, utility of gear, packing of rucksacks and ability on the hike.

The commissioner for lone guides, Mrs. I. Mclnnes, gave a talk on the lone branch, continued Mrs. Tweed, who stressed the need for more interest in this interesting section of the movement by active guides, and those in an executive capacity. For post guides, the commissioner, Misg Cobb, spoke of the work done among crippled children, regretting that it was not possible without speci-ally-trained workers to accept mentally deficient children in post guide companies. ' <.

An alteration in the requirements for guides entering for the Booklover’s Badge was decided on, with the result that New Zealand guides will now be required to read a book on New Zealand or the Maoris before being eligible for the test.

The next annual conference of guide commissioners will not be held till the end of 1940, being carried over a year because of the centenary celebrations.

During a discussion on test papers at the conference, said Mrs. Tweed, Miss Jane Orford said that she had noticed a keenness among her guides to illustrate their papers in many original ways. She felt this move on the part of the guides was to be welcomed and encouraged. Truliy King Memorial. Miss J. Duthie, Heretaunga, told the meeting that it had been decided that the money collected by the New Zealand guides for a Truby King Memorial should go toward the endowment of a bed at the Karitane Hospital, Dunedin.

She said that a form was being drawn up as a questionnaire for guiders to put to guides concerning using their services at a time of a national emergency. It had been agreed, however, that in such an event the guides would give their services as private individuals only, not as representatives of the movement. Among those who attended the meet-

ing were Mrs. Eliott (Palmerston North), Miss Olive Waters (Carterton), Mrs. Barnard (Greytown), Miss Nora Radcliffe (Masterton), and Mrs. M. Kronfeld, Mrs. Stewart, Miss J. Duthie, Miss C. Morice, Mrs. L. 11. Wood, and Miss Douglas. Wellington.