BOY SCOUTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1923, Page 4

BOY SCOUTS.

(Contributed). The increase of city population at the expense of rural districts lias already become a problem in New Zealand. and Seaming in the industrial areas of Europe and America has been found to provide a real method ot educating young people against this tendency. .So long as "adventure” to the growing boy means no more than an evening at the pictures, and the country in hi- mind is merely a place for picnics, or a homo life filled with an impossible number of humdrum odd jobs, it is unlikely that there will he any great rush among our men of the I mure to fill the empty and semiempty spaces on which future prosperity depends.

S'conting brings intimate acquaintance with nature which will never afterwards he lost, turns the homo duties into knightly "good turns,” and transforms the everyday farm or lumber worker into a hero of pioneering. 1 lie work nf local hoy scout troops could he improved a lot if men would volunteer to give a fraction of their time to act as instructors in matters within their o\ er.vday knowledge. The writer has seen, ill London, hundreds of bov seouts listen breathlessly "hi!**

tliov were shown how. ior example. G> sharpen an ax>- or to cook a simp!"

meal. Vet these same hoys, as niton as not, would look upon a school class in gardening or woodwork as a mere opportunity for larking. Apart from the advantage which a voluntary organisation lots always over compulsory education, the Scout movement has captured and made its own that spirit of romance which is the essence of youth and indeed (although few acknowledge it) of life itself Scot.li work is many sided and is one of the few modern opport uni ties open to all for active good citizenship which doe- not involve financial help, doting men of eighteen and upwards are urgently needed as assistant scoiitnutslets, and there should he no adult of either sex for whom some part in a

iviillv live scout organisation tor Die tow n could not he iuuml. it i- e-pcciallv to he hoped that parent- of hoy scouts and of woulil-be hoy scouts, will attend tin* fori heoming meetings for the formation of troop committees. A recent meeting of the soil at Grcynmulh appears to liar*: had excellent results already, and it cannot he urged too often that the matter is one that concerns the town its a whole.

The Ist Hokitika Troup met as ti-ttal on .Monday, and the l-l pack on Tuesday evening. A meeting to elect a troop rommilico was arranged for this Wednesday. The Moreporl; Patrol of the new troop chid Hokitika) meci on Wednesday, and the Scoutmaster is anxious to get in touch with six more wnultl-!:o .-emits, lie will lie glad to meet boy- or thoii parents thi- Thursday evening between 7 and S o'clock at the Ist Hokitika Scout room 'adjoining the Westland County Ollice). A few hoys under Iwolve are also needed for the Wolf Cull Rack.