SCOUT NOTES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 56, 22 March 1937, Page 13

SCOUT NOTES

Camping Competition. This camping competition contest had to be pOstponed from the original date (January 31) like all other camps; it is now to be held on April 10 and 11. If the rain decides to come down in a deluge at the time it will again have to be put off, but if it merely drizzles oi* gives us a few light showers it will not matter. Asyway, a bit of rain when in camp is useful, for it teaches chaps how: to get fires going with wet wood, and how to get over other difiiculties. The conditions for this competition were put in these notes rnaOy months ago, but since there have been a good many changes in most TroOps we are putting them in again; cut them out and keep them as reminders for when you make up your teams. 1. Patrol to consist of leader, second and four Scouts; extra points for teams consisting of members of all of one patrol 2. Each patrol to supply ita own equipment; extra points for gear of its own construction. 3. Patrols and equipment to be inspected upon arrival. Copy of programme, manu and stores to be given to camp judgea. All details are to be arranged by the patrol and patrol leader unaided. . 4. Camp sitee to be allotted by judges.

5. Points will be given for: — (a) tent pitching; (b) cooking arrangements; (e) sanitation of camp; (d) essential gadgets; (e) cooking; (f) conduct and spirit; (g) camp-fire items; (h) punctualify in camp times. 6. The camp time-table will be: — Saturday, arrive in camp by 3 p.m,; patrol 's own programme; tea 6.30 pi.m.; camp-fire 8 p.m.; lighta out 10 p.m.; Sunday, flag-break and prayers 745 a.m.; breakfast 8 a.m.; inspection 9.30 a.m.; patrol 's own programme; dinner 12.30 p.m.; ■ Scout's own service 1.30 p.m.; patrol 's own programme from 2 till 4 p.m.; lenders' report and final inspection 4 p.m, They ..will then leave camp. 7. The camp judges will be "Little John," "Bobin Hood," Friar Tucka" and "Big Smoke," theae being holdera of the Wood Badge (Scout section). 8. Patrols may arrange their own transport to and from Rissington camp. Their committees should do their best to-help them with cars. 9. Troops may enter more than one patrol. I am pleased to get a report from Esk Troop; I wish other troops would send me in bits about their happenings and badges won, it makes it more interesting for everyone and shows the progress of scouting in this district. Second Hastings Troop. How many knots can you tiel Wo had an inter-patrol competition last Saturday evening to see which patrol could do the greatest number among all its members. The Morepork? won by

doing 26 different ones, the Huias were second with 25, Kiwis thir.d with 21, and the Tui? fourth with 18. That was quite a good show, for it gets you puzzled when you get over the dozen* mark. I expect six or seven ar© about the limit for a very large number of people and eveu Scoutp, too. Our gang seem to be on th© hunt after badges. L. Martin and A. Christensen have won the Pathfinder Badge. Keep your eyes opeu as you go around this town and you will realise the^ trouble that a chap has to take to get* that badge, for he has to know all the roads in the borough, the doctors' houses, and all other things that may come in handy when directing people to any place in Hastings or to towns close by. C. Campbell was presented with the one year'e star. Esk Troop Oamp. "Infantile paralyais precautionary measures having been xemoved, there is still time for a camp before sehools go back; what about it f So spake Skip. The powers that bo wagged their heads approvingly., so off we set. We arrived at Rissington on Friday morning at 10 o'clock. The job of getting all the gear down the cable was soon done and then each patrol got to work putting up their tents and making their dining-rooms and kitchens. The weather did not look very promising, so overyone worked at top speed. A cold lunch — a short spell and on with tho job again. At three o'cloek the cooks set to — wood and water chaps were busy and savoury smells began to arise from the four kitchens. We were hungry men who eat .down to tea that night — but who isn't hungry in a camp? A short and rollicking camp-fire ended the day and we were all glad to get to our tents and to bed. There were many jobs to be dono next day. Kitchens wanted various alterations, and as the following day was visitors' day the track had to be eleaTed up a bit and a deviation constructed. Jolly hot work it was, too! Then beds xequired considerable improvements. Skipper started a new fashion in beds this year; this .spread like wildfire through the camp. To make these beds — graves we called them — you dig a trench long enough to lie in, all except for your head and feet, wide enough to be comfortable and about six or seven inches deep. Fill, or half fill this with manuka scrub or fern and you will have a bed just as comfortable as Mother makes at home. (Look out fo'r rain water Tunning into it and making a wet bath. — "Big Smoke. ' ') Sunday dawned another fine day. Inspection over, we had Seouts' Own at the "Chapel." This is a specially prepared place under a big fir tree, and ie railed off and provided with a xustle lyell gate. A Scouts' Own is a simple service in which all the scouts joined in giving thanks for the good things He was giving us. Visitors arrived shortly after lunch, and Skipper "did the heavy" showing them round the camp ground and patrol kitchens and tenta. The Moreporks and Tuis had decided to build a bridge of their own for getting firewood acrop# the river, Tather

than use the public drawbridge, wbicb was a little out of the way for them. This was of considerable interest to visitors, though none had the courage to cross the half-completed structure. They were able to watch tha bridgebuilding from where they sat having tea. This was prepared by troop leader and patrol leadere. "Little John" was among our visitors that afternoon and we persuaded him to stay to camp-fire. The whole time^in camp just seemed to fly. Every day was fine and the amount of work we got through was very satisfactory. Wide games, night games,, tracking, compass direetions and pioneering were among the activities. The bridge, when complete, was a great auccess and held eleven chaps at one time. The two patrols, however, were not content with this and made an aerial runway for water from the river and firewood from the other side. — "Robin Hood." The rest of this yarn will appear next week. They were luckier than we were at Christmas in the weather. I think, though, that we enjoyed ourselves as much and did as much work. — "Big Smoke."