BOY SCOUTS

Evening Star, Issue 23384, 29 September 1939, Page 2

BOY SCOUTS

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION CHIEF COMMISSIONER'S APPEAL At the annual meeting of the Boy Scouts’ Association, New Zealand, hold at Wellington to-day, the Dominion Chief Commissioner (Mr H. Christie), in his address, said:— The year was one of heavy work lor those "engaged in maintaining ami building np at Dominion headquarters. Not only has Scouting been increasing, but we have had the extraordinary efforts required to prepare and carry out the programme necessitated by our wish to have New Zealand worthily represented at the Australasian jamboree in December and January last. Then there has been a certain amount of work falling upon headquarters in connection with our own proposed jamboree. These jobs have required many extra hours of labour by both our paid and honorary stall's. The organisation and subsequent.carrying out of the Australian trip was a splendid piece of work. Close on 600 boys and men went and returned in first-class order, and acquitted themselves in such a manner as to reflect the greatest credit on those responsible for the arrangements, upon the association, and upon the Dominion as a whole. The hours of exhausting work were considered well worth while when compared with the result achieved. Our own jamboree organisation was carried out by a body of men outside Dominion headquarters. These men were for the most part outside our movement. Their splendid devotion to the job in hand and their high standard of efficiency won our admiration. That they should for the time being be deprived of the opportunity of soouig the result of their efforts is deplored. It must not, however, be imagined that their efforts are lost. Far from it. A vast fund of information has been accumulated—an impetus has been given to Scouting generally which is inestimable—we have been shown how a job of work should be done. Now we have upon us this awful war. A war which will play havoc with the young men of our land. Just prior to the outbreak of hostilities an emergency meeting of the association was held, when our services and organisation were placed at the disposal of the Government. We, as a Boy Scout organisation, have to face up to this new order of things and play our part. It is not so much a matter of “ business as usual ” os a case for doubling our efforts. Some years ago Scouting was charged on frequent occasions with being a military organisation, and its leaders with forming a junior army. Wo have always protested that wo are not military, and we still maintain that there is nothing and never has been anything of a militaristic nature in Scouting. One of the main objects is to develop peace and goodwill. While this is all correct, we are fully aware of the fact that if it ever became necessary for a boy to defend his native land or to take up arms in a just cause he would be able to do it infinitely better if he had received a Scout training. Here, then, lies the need for increasing our efforts. Who knows where our boys may be before this present war is finished The Scout movement has something for each lad, whatever the future may have in store. At a time such as this all decent citizens who cannot engage in active service are considering what may be done by them to help the nation. There are rertainly many avenues open for national service, and hero we have one of the utmost importance. There are troops of Boy Scouts to maintain throughout the Dominion. As our Scoutmasters are among_ the finest young men of the land l , it is natural that they should be involved in some form or other in war service. We send out a call to any who can do so, older men, old Scouts, committeemen, to come and help us maintain this work and to prepare the boys for whatever may lie ahead, whether it be in peace or in war. I appeal to all commissioners to bring before district com-, mittoes as quickly as possible the scheme for national emergency organisation issued by the Dominion Headquarters Commissioner-in-Chicf. You will agree that Scouts should be trained as fully as is possible in subjects which would be of value to them and their country in an emergency. Badges of this category include ambulance, missioner, pathfinder, camper, public henlthman, fireman, signaller, cyclist coast watchman, and pilot. As to the boys of Scout age who are not in the Scouts, and avlio are not attached to ambulance, Red Cross, or other brigades. I appeal to them and their parents that they join up with the Scouts without delay. I make the appeal to this meeting and to all who may be influenced bv those present. Not business as usual for the Scouts, but the whole work reinforced and intensified. More helpers, replacements for those leaving, and all the boys of New Zea’and into this glorious work; that is our aim. At this time our hearts go out to the lads of our Empire who must boar the brunt of war and its horrors. We as an organisation desire to serve them to the utmost of our capacity and ability.