BOY SCOUTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1923, Page 4

BOY SCOUTS.

SIR ALFRED PIC’KFORD. FAREWELL .MESSAGE. Sir Alfred D. Pickford, Commissioner for Oversea Scouts, who recently visited Australasia has forwarded ' he following farewell message from Perth under date August 3 : “During a stay in Australia of about seven months I have been given every opportunity of coming into the closest contact with those who are controlling and assisting the Boy Scouts’ Associations in the different States. I have ventured to give repeated public expression to the splendid qualities, physically and in other ways, of the Australian hoy. Australia has, as everybody knows, in her boys nrstdass material for the further development of her wonderful country.

“The Boy Scout movement provides a natural and effective means of assisting to develop in the boys those feelings of goodwill and harmony., both among themselves and in their relations with the citizens of othei parts of the British Commonwealth, and those of foreign nations, which are natural to them, and which, under this system of training, are not affected by differences of race, creed, ot class. As Boy Scouts they are shovn the way to good citizenship requires—clean living, reliability, loyalty, sense of duty, readiness to defend the honour and security of their country (but a complete absence of the militaristic spirit), truthfulness, a chivalrous atti--1 tude to women, ami the spirit of soilless service. They are taught that happiness is the birthright of every i human being, and that only by de- ! veloping good citizenship can true hap- ! pines* be secured, whether in a nation or tut individual.

“But to achieve this result men needed as commissioners and scoutmasters. There is already * n Australia a large number of men who tire gibing, in the most self-sacrificing way. their time, energy, brains, and often inmiev, in doing this valuable v.ttttc for tite nation. To them, and also to those men and women who are helping on councils and committees, the Boy Scouts’ Association owes a debt of gratitude for the splendid service they -ire doing service which is immeasurable in its effects, both immediate and potential. 1 have seen these Scout <>dicers (“Scooters” we call them collectively) under all conditions, and must hear testimony to their magnificent work. Keen, hard-working, soilless, efficient, cheerful, they arc setting, t great example to their young brothers. ■‘This is l not enough, however. B.v

reason of the fact that the aims, ideals, and possibilities of the Bay Scout movement are insufficiently understood, and often misunderstood, these men re being to a great and deplorable extent' forced to piny a lone band. Ami yet it. must be admitted l.v

every citizen who gives the matter a moment's thought that the development of good citizenship in the rising generation is of the deepest concern to the whole community, and to all classes of the community. Docs a minister desire tt boy’s religion to be made more real? The Bay Scout movement does this. Does tt ■ school teacher desire a willing and obedient learner? The

Boy Scout movement helps hint. Does the employer desire a reliable employee with a sense of duty and responsibility; The Boy Scout movement develops these qualities. Do the employees want to see a number of just, gene-

rous, and considerate employers grow? The Bay Scout movement will achieve this result. Dees the Government want in see the factor of health reproved. the standard of the public services kept high, the incidence of jjnveililc crime abduced ? Boy Seoul training will do these things. Do parents desire to see their boys efficient self-reliant, well-behaved, considerate and helpful, both at home and abroad? These are qualities the Boy Scout shows. Tu short, does the eoiiiiuunit\ believe that- the standard of a nation is decided by the standard of the individual citizens comparing itself? M it does, it will mu withhold suppo t from the greatest movement the world has ever known- -the scheme of training which has been described as the finest system of education ever devised.’