COMMISSIONER'S OUTLOOK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 104, 19 May 1937, Page 8

COMMISSIONER'S OUTLOOK

LITTLE

JOHN.

Our Coronation "Good Turn." During Coronation Week, Bcouts throughout the Empire will be selling the olxLcial sonvenir book and the funus will go to King George's Trust Fund. It ie to provide open spaees for our less fortunate brothers in England, as a memorial to our late King George Y. We out here little reaJise what at means to live in the slums of our crowded cities at Home, Thank goodness real efforts are being made to do away with these awful homes by pulling tlioiu down and building new healthy houses for these people. To go into the eountry is a great ad venture for these children. l was once told of one little ehap who Was taken dnto the eountry and when he saw green grass just sat down and sinoothed it because it was so lovely. It is hard for you chaps lo understand su-eh lives as some children in England lead. Their play-ground a. griiuy street; their football an old cin; for cricket bat' a piece of pacMng case, and for ball a rag tied witli string; ' dingy homes often consisting of one room. What a contrast with your lives! I feel sure you will all do your best to sell as many of the trust books as possible. Yve have 1000 copies to sell in this district. Hand «Ue money in to your Scoutor as eoon as you can or you may lose it, New Appointments.

/ou will Le glad to know that Napier is to have an Ass'istant Commisioner. "Deorfoot" has been having a spoli and now f eels like a "giant rex'reshod" and is taking the job on. ".Long Jonn Bilver," who hae struggled with the coJuinn for a long time, is taking over tho duties of district badge secretary. So Napier should prosper With lteen Commissioner, District Scoutmaster and a live Area Committee. We were au delighted to have representatives of the latter at our Scouter 's meeting. All groups should realise that they have a yepresentative on this body 'and see that he attends or much of the effort of these gentlemen is wasted. Let us see what a big forward movement we can make this year throughout the district. Now Napier is fixed I want to see Hastings in the same happy position. There is much" scope for develbpment of the movement in this town and suburbs. I hope before long to find them an assistant commissioner and get on with that Scout hall. We will get Coronation over and then I am coming down to try and stir things up. S.O.S. Fronji Havelock. This Troop has been in existence for many years and I have been personaily connected with it in its early days. Therefore, I am particularly anxious to see it prosper. For a long tir&e it has been through "rough weather" and today it finds dtself without a Scoutmaster. For some time efforts have been made to secure a gentleman to tako them over. But no luck. I am surprised at Havelock, because it has a reputation for fostering all movements worth while. Surely' the Seout movement should beaT a leading place in the -cpmmunity. I think I may clainl that the Scouts and Guides are the two most worth while youth movements in the world to-day, so surely Havelock can find two gentlemen willing to undertake this job of Scoutmaster. Are all the movements in your midst of such importance as ti 9 txaining of youth? It is easy to criticise, but have you the right to do so until you have tried to help. Now, Havelock, it is up to you. Your boys are all right, I know from experience, if proporly Jed. Who will be their leader? Our Flag. At the opening of every troop meeting the flag is saluted. This is done sometimes in a very haphazard way. Many of you may look upon this ceremony as just a matter of form, and it means little to you. It should be carried out well as a matter of dmportance. Your flag should be cleau and folded correetly ready for breaking • at the head of a neat pole (you can make your own). If the' pole tumble's over or the flag refuses to brcak, the ceremony loses ats seriousness. See that these things are in order before hand. The saluting of our flag is not just cheap patriotism, but a recognition of all the things our flag stands for, and a mark of respect to all those splenditl men, women, boys, and girls who hav#i made sacrifices for our Empire. Not only soldiers and sailors but explorers, scientists, doctors, statesmen, and all vvho have gone before and given tis freedom and safety, and gained for our Empire the respect of the world. There are some who choose to sueer at such ceremonies, but they play a valuable part in building up loyal citizens. And while on the subject of flags, please take a pride in your standards. Keep them elean and well mounted. One can often judge a troop by its flags. The offiee of flag-bearer should be looked upon as a position of trust and honoui What are your colours l'ike? ftlipfirinf