The Boy Scouts

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 August 1915, Page 3

The Boy Scouts

A liivA.\wil lA IiiIALN. luoiigb the .uoy Scout movement has, &incu no loiuiatioii some years in England, by General £>ir Robert JJadon Powell, the tleleudcr of Mafckmg m the SoutU Airman war, become a world-nvido organization, a"u nas a strong membership m the duel cities and. county centres ot tne Dominion, no troop has as yot been loriued iu Irovin. Witii a vi&w to remedying this utato of affaire, Mr u. A. Hurley, oi \\ ellington, organize! , ior the movement, is at present visiting Levin, ana yesterday audressed the ooys at the public school. lho large room was hlled, and the gathering was presided over by the chairman oi the ischool ComimUee, 'Mr A. Sims, while nearly all the other members ol tiio committee and the teaching stall 1 aJso were pro sent. •*■

Mr Hurley, in esplaiiuug the aims ami objects ol the said tnat he did not be necessary for tiie boys at the outsot- to face tiie expenditure of a complete unitonn; the Baden-PoT.c]] liats with liieir ordinary clothes would be sufficient lor the start. The boys were encouraged and assisted to acquire a sound elementary knowledge t>l a trade or handicraft, so that no matter 'what position they may be in in future, they would liave something to fall back on if need be. The scout's promise was: That 1 will be loyal to my God, my King and country, the scoul lan j, and that 1 "will do one kind act every day as iar as possible. Tho scout laws require: That the boout's honour be so high that h» is to be trusted under all circumstances; that he be loyal to his King and country, his officers, and iiis employers; that he be useful and help others; that lie be a friend to all and a orother to every other scout; that he be kind to all animals; that he smiles and whistles under all difficulties; that he be thrifty; and that he oe clean in thought, word and deed. They should at all times remember the organization's motto: "For the best that yoir can do is -what 1 ask of you. ,.

As evidence of the great help that the Boys Scouts have given in England iu the present crisifo, .Ur Hurley mentioned that a line of railway, 300 mile*, long, iu the oast oi England was patrolled by Boy fcJeoutsj there being a scout every quarter oi a mile. He also quoted from a recent address by the TJev. A. 31. Johnson to St. Paul's troop (Wellington). The Rev. Johnson said: "At the beginning of the war the boys saved the situation in the Old Country. It was essential that all the Territorials should be mobilized at once. "Who could guard the bridges, tunnels, etc., on the railway lines? The 'whole country was sivarining with German spies, and the destruction oi a tunnel on a main route would hinder the moblization considerably. This Boy Scouts came to tne rescue and guarded the bridges and tunnels night and day. It was a matter of common knowledge at Home that one .patrol iu the North gave their lives ror King and country, being blown up with the bridge that they were guarding." At Mi- Hurley's instance ail stood and passed in silence, a motion of sympathy nvith the relatives of those who thus had lost their lives.

After the address to the boys Mr Hurely addressed the girls and pointed out the many ways in which they could assist the boys. He also stated that if the girls decided to start the Girl

Scout movement here, LieutenantColonel CWgrove would visit Levin and address them, and clear up any misconceptions regarding that movement.

Mr Hurley is well satisfied with the result of Ids visit. Me states that there are sufficient boy.s offering to form two troops, the only difficulty that remains is the appointment of scoutmasters, but he has every nope that this trouble will be overcome successfully.