SCOUT NOTES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 136, 25 June 1937, Page 12

SCOUT NOTES

This letter from "Little John" was written before the Scouters' meeting held last Wednesday. On that day Mr Cooksey handed over the Hawke's Bay district to "Robin Hood, " who had his warrant presented to him by the actingChief Commissioner for New Zealand, who was present that evening. "BIG SMOKE " Commissioner 's Outlook. This will probably be the last time 1 shall write my " outlook' ' as your Commissioner. In view of the new work given to me as Dominion Training Commissioner, I have decided to hand over the welfare of this district to "Robin Hood," Scouter A. J. Absolom. He is well-known to most of you, and has had a good deal of experience. He atteqded the Arrowe Parlc jamboree as a spectator, and was so much impressed by what he saw that he decided to eome into the "game." For many years he has carried out the duties of scouter for the Esk- Troop, and those who have seen these chaps in camp (the real place to judge seouts) know how efficient in woodcraft they are. He visited England again a few years ago and attended. a Gilwell course for rovers. Since then he has aMed the work of Rover Leader to his services. He is the holder of the wood badge for scouts. - The last seven years have been very happy ones for me as your . commissioner, though perhaps a triflo strenuous. The oue thing I have been most proud if is the good spirit of comradeship and loyalty that has existed both j among scouts/ eubs and scouters. This has made my work a great pfoasure. I , can boast that there has not been one "family squabble" during the period of my office. I know you will give to my successor the splendid loyalty you have always given to me. I do not hand over without regrets, but after all one has to do things that are not always pleasant in a good pause. I shall always take a keen interest in district matters, and keep in touch with you all. Also, I hope to see scouting in Hawke's Bay gain in numbers and I efficiency. A new leader often stirs up new entbufiiasm. I shall try to sena along a contribution to the column from time to time, and shall ever remember the happy dlays we hav^ spent in camp together. Good'hunting to you all. Lending. T. received a letter from a scout a • ./eek or so baclc saying that he wasvery sorry that he had lost a book I had lent him, and that he was sending me a new one. Now, that is the proper thing to do, but it came as a pleaiant surprise all the same. How often we lend. things and they are never returned, or if they are, in a very damaged state. If I had all the books returned that I have lent I should . want a new ♦bookshelf. As scouts, we should be most particular in these matters. I know many people lend us things because they have heard that scouts can be trusted. Every time we fail we lose a supporter. Try to carry out your scout code in your daily lives. Cheerio. "LITTLE JOHN." Cup Notes. Dear Cubs, — Last week I paid a visit to the Wai-iti pack in Napier, and as I am sure you wOuld all like to know what your brother cubs do in tlie jungle I will tell you all about it. Eighteen keen young cubs, all smiles, greeted me with the Grand ! Howl aud started the night 's doing With their own pack prayer, made for them some years ago by Captain Nirby, of the Church Army. The pack then turned into a railway train and puft'ed away until it steamed into Tidytown. Here Akela was stationmaster, and all the carriages had to be inspected before the train could go on. But all being in order the train got moving again to the next stop, which was Cleantown. This was the end of the. journey. Parade circle again, and while they sang, "Can you tie, .-tie, tie a knot,

knot, knot," all the cubs did their best with the knots, from tfe tenderpads, who sometimes tied a "granny." instead of a "reef," to the sixers, who could tie all the four knots with ease. Next, a few good games, followed by the dance of Kaa. The room was small, but When the pack was Banderlog the monkeys managed to do a lot. of climbing on chairs and tables and out of windows. Kaa had to look very hard before he found the last monkey to swallow — they had hidden in all sorts of odd places. And couldn't those cubs pounce on their prey when they did the stalking dance of Bagheera, the black panther. The deer was thoroughly torn to pieces. Finally, they sang some songs very well, and when they acted "The Warrior's Return," why, with your eyes shut, you could just imagine the horses galloping down the road and over the bridge. Good hunting. "AKELA." Chief Commissioner 's Visit. Last Wednesday we had "the Chief CSmmissioner for New Zealand (Mr. Christie) up this end. He and "Little John" were offi on Thursday for a trip up north to see the seouts from Gisborne, then on to Hamilton, and after that I don't know where they were going. We had a scouters' meeting that night to welcome Mr. Christie, and to have the official transfer of the Hawke's Bay' commissionership to "Robin Hood." It was a wild and exciting evening, with plenty of humorous speeches from many scouters. Then there was a presentation to "Little John," in token of all he has done for the district since he, took it on. We are all jolly pleased to think that "Little John" will not be leaving Hawke's Bay; he is just passing over the work of running this part beeause he cannot do the New Zealaiid work as well as the district stuff. Either of the i jobs alone is quite sufficient to keep j hiin well oceupied. We have a really good Successor in "Robin Hood," and the scouting in' Hawke's Bay will go on without a hitch of any kind. During his talk the Chief Commis-, sioner remarked that scouting is still on trial in this country; the people were still looking to see what sort of boys it was turning out. He said that pebple would not give' the mcvement their support until they were sure that it was worth while for them to back it up. 8o, you. chaps, just remember that fact. He said that if the boys °were scouts only while on parade, and beeame hooLigans as soon as they left the scout nieeting-place, we should not get any help from the people about us. That we are doing good work is fairly evident. Men like Mr. Christie, andmany others with him, would not spend tlieir time as they are doing if it had no result. But still, you scouts, remember that a scout is a scout all the time, whether, he is in uniform or uot; whether he is at school, at work or at play, he is a scout. People are watching you all the time, and if you do. anything that a scout should not, do, you are hindelring th'0 progress i'bf scouting. And don't forget there are other things to do besides scouting. If you want to go to a scout meeting any evening you must get home as soon as you can fjjom school and get your homework as far forward as possible. If you play around after school, get home about six o'cloelc, and then announce that you are going to a scout meeting at seven, you will find that you will most likely not get there. You will let the other chaps down, upset your scouter 's and leader 's plans, and have only yourself to blame, And your mother and father will be cussing scouts because they have meetings that interrupt the school work. If you plan things properly you will find that it is only very seldom that scouting need upset your school homework. I am not talking about something about which I know nothing. When I was at school we had just as much work to do as you chaps have, and we had to have a patrol meeting once every week, and the troop parade eaeh Saturday. And we were expeeted to turn out to the patrol meetings just as regularly as to the troop ones.- As a rule we even used the station waitingrooin in which to do our work, while we were waiting for the trains. • We k new there was np .time to waste, and in the summer we always found time for outdoor games each .evening, and iu the winter there was our little Workrooms or model Tailways, and so on. And you chaps can have just as much time to yourselves if you really do get your work done and not hang around talking and playing. I quite often hear some boy say that he has never enough time to do so-so ip scouting, and yet he has been-wasting time hanging around with a bunch of other boys, and not even having a ! decent game. Or, sometimes, he comes down to Sny .place and stays there talking, and then comes late to that evenihg's scout meeting. If we want people to help us when we ask for help, sueh as for our headquafters building fund, then we must show that -we are retdy to help them in any little way that we can. Here, in Hastings, at any rate, we are doing our best, to show people that we can be usoful. I know it means "^Tn.dinq a bit more of your time oi. suCh things liavo to be, and if you are in rehearsals for them, and so on. But such tliings hve to be, and if you are not willing to spend that „timc you will find that .scouting is going to como to a standstill. H.Q. Building Fund. I want to thanlc the person who sent me ten shillings for our futtire headquarters. As there was no name enclosed I cannot thank him personally, aud I hope ho reads these scout notes • and will accept our thanks for his help. All donations are verv welcome. "BIG SMOKE."