LETTER FROM LITTLE JOHN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 188, 26 August 1937, Page 10

LETTER FROM LITTLE JOHN

"LITTLE

JOHN."

Dear Scouts, — I have not had a word with you for some time. I have been to Wairoa Gisborne, Hamilton, Auckland, Wanganui, Palmerston and Lower Hut since I last wrote. My new job is very interesting and I learn a lot. One thing I learnt was that many scouts wearing Oyclists' Badges have not signed a certilicate to the eft'ect that they are willing to use their cycles in the King's servicc; this means in times 'of national emergency. Have all you Hawke's Bay cyclists done &o? If not, get it done. Also hav.e all you ambulance chaps been examined annually? If not, you should not wear the badge. I was' very pjeased with one troop ithat I vifsitecb They showed such splendid spjrit and wero running themselves under patrol leaders and had been for some time as their scouter had got married and the troop gave him lea\e of absence. While yarning to them I l'ound that they put in evcry bifc of spare time out of doors doing real scoutig. They made it -a /rule that weather should not interfere ,with their plaus". I saw a lilm of them bn hike an'l in camp, and oh both occasions it was pourlng. So, of course, i knew what gave tiiem such eplendid spirit' and why their leaders were real Leaders. No parlour scouting for them. I also get a great deal of humour out of my job. One scout wearing the tiremau ;s badge I asked if he knew hoAV to use a jumping sheet. He replied, "You hold it out for the chap to jump into and when he does you let go." Of course, I knew what he meant, but it sounded funny. Now I've seen liundreds of first class badges and a bushman's thong!— but this was in a box at headquarters. Why not get that thong and some of those first class badges on to your skirt. That is what tkev are f or— Cheerio !