SCOUT CAMP.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1923, Page 4

SCOUT CAMP.

HOKITTKA-imSS TIM KIPS AT AiIIvOXUJ.

.Much of tlio success of 11 camp <!<■- I>ciitls t>u the locality, and even though it is possible to lnive ijuite u flood little camp near at hand, with the aid ol some imagination. yet it is worth while to think out and explore for a really Kiiod jilucv lone; lr forehand. which shall attract and runain lone; in meinory from its pieLiirt -<jikmh -o and novelty. Accordingly wc turned our steps again to tliat “iuinping-off place" lor * lie oroar Southland, where the railwjiv end,-, anti the hush begins in earnest. viz Ross. Some four miles below it was our destination which seemed to have pieatieully ail the good punts V. .• desired. M i:. i■ were the hush-clad hills niminc; quite near in trieii<lly f'a.diien as though t' l beckon us ufj on diem, and later we obeyed the call; the same hills guarded and overlooked liy tlo-ir snowy sisters at the hack, while up and down the bench the sea lulled in. with line spray shown up aeainst jfold Mead I’dulf. or coming straight on the travel at i ioimglineks Heath. The sea also stave us plentiful firewood, likttwis" lisli and a warm lagoon for ling was at our door. So ill The gr.i.ssy paddock over Iroin the sandhill, dotted with scrub and wiving both shelter and space was to lie found the camp, although many visitors had much dilliculty in the sjiiuc sfare 1 1 tor our !• uis. ]>oss was t aiujH’d iK-.wvr tlu'. Ix-aoji. Hokitika among the scrub. Pb beys in all and four tents to each camp. as each troop's stores demand a tent to Uicniselvo-. To those who had their eves open, while passing along (lie main south road, the I'nioo Jack on tile tlagpob' among the trees was the <’iilv sign outwardly that the inhabitants of the district were more nunrerous than usual. 'I he old hands very qiiicklv know how to pitch a lent on dry land and make it not only secure against the weather, but also introduce luxuries smh a Ooot-racks and caiid!''.stocks, home made, while the keeper of the stores quickly had transformed a box into a cupboard and airanged his tins and pact.cts. .though In fool; no precautions to ward oil tin cow which later ate our cabbage. After loiality or even before it ; til-cat watchword of a camp is clean [lacs-, ami we were rewarded 1.. v having no hies as all extra pritilege very ten sandflies or niostpn:oe. Sue! individual inosipiitoes as did apm-m were not of the lerocious V, ailalia variety, hut. .so to sp-cak. more gentb and casilv tamed. tbir llcalth Otlu c: had liis dailv round to make and sei that our camp was clean and his worlw;is well done. Reveille was at ti a.m. exactly : hours alter the tnis ami “mod; ies" Imi (--it up, and *‘l igh t s-o u t at 0 p.m (- xi opt wlieii WC were laic out for eeh). ft seemed strung- to turn i' v. imn (he last glow had net laded Iron I lie sky down, the beach. Tbcsi hours loft os a good long day for exoivis”. training and sj’ort. and much good work was done. Several of the buy; Imve ii-'iiriv f111:1 1 !bed for the first-class badge, which includes t"sl~ in lirsi-aid (especially in tins i a.sc in dealing upb drowning, lire or electric shoek'i. morse signal ling cooking, ability to iisp an a sc. m-i;i reading and making, and doing a journey ol lb tulles mi fonft cu.l- a ; .-port of the same. All take turn as cooks, orderlies for meals end i• 1 1isti- (wan r-carrier.-) and so b-ai n Tie h—on of service to ct'u-rs. •Satunlay was ; Priors day and ipiit: a nil ;i-e : - cue was niadi by parents and la; lilies from Itoes coming to view their.sc ills, and often win- ti- moil ( Xpressed “I low 1 .should like in eaiun here tin," we.en vhev saw fit: ;ov and health and abilitv <> tin- be . Our tie- lagoon ami ra on laud. Mi ssr(,nr. lin-.-r and V! gu n lpc-i ■ i-eice in start ing end induing - vents cm! cm-: ileot -port mid -lose iinisle-' were noticeable. The following !i-i gives till- events and result::;--StVI.M.MI.VO. •7>vd'. !b Aiidriws ( Is.). I - It. i”,line-: < ! f.) P. I ong dive. IT Palmer til.) I ; V. ill.) P. •’iivds. I;:-gimiors rec K. Iletnian <!!.": !. '.. ! led wig (If.l P. Xcat dive. -it. |*aliner ( fi. > I : (J. ! fr-iuz til.) P. I‘oii its: Hokitika lb. To- I. JH'XVIXH.

IMil.v 11 ace.-- Ho - A. 1, Hokitika A. HUyd-s open.- I st heal', A. Ipjohu (!?.) I : \V. Wallac” 111.) 2 : :2ml. lifi! L 11. Kmnioit 1. (:. Heinz 2: final. I!. I'jiniKti (11 .) 1 : (I. Heinz ill. i2. 220yds.—II. Kmtiu tt (!{.) 1: (1. I loinz ( II.) 2. Hop, step mid jump.— G. Heinz (II.) 1 i 11. Km mett (!’.) 2. I .(ins' .J Ti m »>.— !l. Knunett (Jt.) I : V. Pierson (II.) 2. High .)iirnp.—l. Jones (If.) nml V. l J iei'siin (II.) equnl. ltd egged nice.—lfoss I. Hokitika 2. Points: Ifnss 171 Hokitika l l '.. Total: Hokitika 211. Rose 181. .Sunday passed <jniei 1 y with an informal send; o on a, green slope near the llagpolo in the morning. lessons. hoisiy i <>;if! lit a hoy from ea< h troop, and a ranihle up the Alikonui in the afternoon. We broke camp on Monday and ; Iter dinner, mostly kindly jtiron'in by tin people of Ue-.s, we trekked up Mt. Greenland track, villi one day’s provisions and a blanket each, obeying the call of the hill';. Though the road to some was Ion;’:—to all was rough, yet the beauty of the walk-, the views unfolded over wider and wider scenes, with an occasional brilliant sidrish of rata bloom mad” up for it. The Gradual i bailee in character of trees and plants as we as -ended was soon marked and should he of good assistance to future Forestry oflioials! The pioneers got to thi’ (lovornm'ent hut at (i p.m. and with a cold wind blowing off tlit* hills, a good lire of manuka and a hot cup of tea, were eagerly welcomed. Whether the Inspector of Health would have condemned our .sleeping arrangements remains to be seen, hut Mifiieo it to say that II of us slept well in the hut measuring 15 x 30 feet. Six in bunks and live of ns on Iragrnnt manuka mattresses on the floor, while we kept- the lire up til! the dawn (-nine with sunshine. Kxploring the Cedar Creek mine was the next event and a long tile splashed along the tunnel with candles. I hough glow-worms already did what they could for us. in the search for gold, and now “quartz'’ and “ironp.vrit-.‘.s" and “antimony'' are i ommoii words in our vocabulary. Cp again and trek to the summit to the new view Iroin Caps* Fonlwind to Okuru. blue sea. ereaniedged bounding the whole o! Mostland. with every feature —township as dear as crystal. Oknrito Lagoon looked hardly farther than Mahinapua and inland the maze of mountains stood out with the clearness of a map. Onl> the gr*';’,t .snow Kings weiv partly hidden, but from the twin ranges guarding the Grey Valiev, right down to the foothills of Alt Cook all the front ranges were visible. Then down the Alpine track and home. For again the hospitality of the Hoss parents was extended to us and we were made much at home by their kindness. AVe would thank them and

the Koss Scoutmaster, Mr h. Osmers most licitrtiiy tor t!it‘ many v.ays in wliioli they helped us and we hope to he able to repay it. And so iiii—after the ennip.