BOY SCOUTS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1925, Page 4

BOY SCOUTS

((*Oll l ributocl.) There was a total attendance of almost ;t JOO at St. Andrew’s Hall last Saturday uioht to celehrate the second “ iiirthday ” of the Second Hokitika Troop and Pack. I’esides the scouts and cults of the Second, their brothers, sisters, parents and friends wen; there in lull strength while the First Troop and Pack also turned up full of smiles and Kood wishes for their youtu; brother. In wishing the sturdy i til a tit many htippy returns, the t hairtiian ol the Troop Committee (Mr A. G. Pilkinoton e.x]tressed the wish that the coinin'! vear would not only see a hirffc im tease in the tminher of scouts enrolled hut also the formation of a Company of Girl Guides in the town, a suooestion with which the telltale purlion of his audience seemed in emphatic agreement. A lame part ot the evenin'! was spent in "antes and alter supper \v)ii*ll oeeu[tied and merited nearly an hour’s steady attention—the scouts and cubs led in a short sin son!, seated camp fashion on the Hour. Scout Gluts. Richardson, as tho only original niemher ol the hoys who started the t rooji. who "its |iresent, wits presented with his second year’s Service Star during tho evening. The troop’s celebrations are being continued this week. This (Thursday) evening the Annual Meeting for the reelection of the Troop Committee is being held at the County Chambers at A p.m. and it is hoped that the people ol the town will note that this is a public meeting that concent-, them and not merely the parents ol the hoys in the troop. A public lantern demonstrataui "f scouting is planned lor next week and here again its wide mi aitcndaiiii- as possible is urgently need-

As itn indication ol the real place that scooting is destined lo hold in national alfairs the following remarks of I.ord Eustace Percy. Minister lot Education, tire worthy ol study. He staled that " the Scouts were it great educational force in this country and one on which anyone, who, like himself, was rosnnitsible for education in this country must rely on t" a very great, extent. In the future he ieit that they would have to rely on it even mote. The Scout Movement did for hoys what tin- educational system was powerless to do except in small measure, because it took the hoy while he was still at school and carried him past the school leaving age and right on the beginning of inltilt life. Th" extraordinary success and growth of the Seoul Movement was due to the laet that while everybody talked about education being the development of the natural attributes of the young, the Scout Movement laid pre-eminently achieved that work."

When views such as these, which are based not on theory hul on proved results, become more common in Xow Zealand it will not he necessary to plead for an increase ol public interest in (visit i„ most emphatically a public concern, but in the meanwhile the sons of the town are growing tt]) and opportunities which will not recur are being dcliiiilclv lost for want ol it more live interest in the subject. I hose who will ; pend the evening id the annual meeting of the troop committee retorrod lo will hear ph-ut ol examples ol "hat might have been done during this last y..,ii had parents and townsfolk gencr;l! 1 shown a livelier interest in what

was being attempted. The open air Sing-son ; planned lor Tuesday last w ill he held at the same I i !! :< • and place next I '.today i! weather eoiulttliuis allow .