WORLD CHIEF GUIDE TO VISIT COAST

Grey River Argus, 14 April 1948, Page 2

WORLD CHIEF GUIDE TO VISIT COAST

Lady Baden Powell’s Work lor Children

“This year, New Zealand members of the Girl Guide- and Boy Scout movements, are again to have the honour ana pleasure of greeting their beloved Chief,” says a statement yesterday issued by the West Coast Girl Guides’ Association. “It is with mixed feelings that the older members of the movements look back on the last to visit, for then that grand old man, the founder of both movements, was with Lady Baden-Powell, a.nd we aJI felt he was happy to be with us as we marched past them both or waved a greeting. Lady Baden-Powell, like a true Guide, shouldered her responsibilities alone, though with the thoughts and prayers of many millions of children ail over the world to help her, and set out once more to bring joy and inspiration to those to whom scouting and guiding has been like a lamp shining in the inky blackness during these last eight years. She was in Europe even nerore peace was actually declared, visiting children and grown ups, to see what could be done for those many millions who were left homeless and leaderless, as a result of the ruthlessness of war. She interested older folk in them and set them on their feet agin, and spent her time and energy in directing relief for them in every way she could. She showed them that there were some folk who did think about them and care for them. Nothing does more for children than interest, and the Chief was certainly interested, and enthusiastic enough to arouse other people’s interest too, “As a. young woman, the Chief Guide 1 was an ardent musician, and traveller. In fact, it was while on a visit to India with her father that she met that ‘interesting scout man’ Robert Baden-Powell. She gave to the Guide Movement her violin, and a scholarship in music to be awarded biennially to a promising guide who wished to further her musical career. With the same far-sighied policy, she has given Pax Hill, her lovely home, to the movement as a Home Science Training Centre, where, guides of 15 years and over can train for service as caterers, cooks, dietitians and the like, She realises tha£ all girls should be able To run a good home. In 1931 and in 1935, when the Chiefs were in New Zealand, they .passed on 1o us in this corner of the globe, the real spirit of scouting and guiding, the spirit of willing co-operation and that will to st rive , for al] that is highest and best.. We look forward to hearing of Heather and Betty who came with them, both married and with families of their own, the former living in Africa, where the only son, Peter, too, has lived for many years, in the country beloved of his father.” i When Ladv Baden-Powotl. the World Chief Guide arrives on the West Coast on Monday, she will .be accompanied by the New Zealand Chief Commissipjjgr, Miss Ruth Herrick. Speaking* of Miss Herrick’s work a Greymouth guide interviewed by the Argus said yesterday. “Guiding in New Zealand lias had only two Chief Commissioners in its 25 years of progress, its founder. Mrs W. R. Wilson, a very wonderful worker for youth; and our present Chief, Miss Herrick, who began her guiding career as Provincial Commissioner for Hawke's Bay in 1929. In April. 1931, she went to England with the Chief Guido, Lady Baden-Powell, whom she is now accompanying on her tour. She was often at Imperial Headquarters, where she had the advantage of talking over guiding problems and learning about guide affairs from very experienced people like Miss Hill, the overseas secretary. She was present, at the opening of “Our Chalet.” the Guide International Home in Switzerland in 1932 and from there went to Poland wnere she attended the Internationa] Conference at Bueze. Here she met representatives of many lands, who brought ideas and thoughts that were truly world-wide, and taught her that guiding has the greatest possibilities of promoting peace ana goodwill among nations. Before leaving England Miss Herrick was appointed. Deputy Chief Commissioner and returned to New Zealand to lake over the reins from Mrs Wilson, who was in ill health. In March, 1933, Miss Herrick was appointed Chief Commissioner, and Headquarters felt that Mrs Wilson’s successor had indeed had a good preparation for this important and absorbing work. Miss Herrick has seen the guide movement grow into a place of real worth in the community, has watched its efforts through the years of depression, prosperity and war, and can feel proud to be Chief Commissioner of the Movement which has worked so hard and so unsparingly for others during the last eight years, when she herself was serving the Navy as Chief of the Wrens “Our Dominion Headquarters, established in Auckland during Mrs Wilson,s time, was moved lo Hastings in 1933, so that Miss Herrick could control Dominion affairs close at hand, and the financial side of the movement has benefit ted greatly from her wise and far-seeing counsel and control. This year, we celebrate Lhe silver jubilee of the movement in New Zealand and wa remember with gratitude our founder, Mrs W. R. Wilson, who started guiding in Juno, 1923, ; and her very able successor.