PRINCE OF WALES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1929, Page 3

PRINCE OF WALES

AT SCOUT JAMBOREE. . LONDON, Aug. 8. The. Prince of Wales was the central, figure in thrilling scenes yesterday when he refid a message from the King at the World Jamboree of Boy Scouts at Ar.rowe Park, Birkenhead. Boys of 42 nations were cheering wildly when suddenly 35,000 British Scouts broke ranks and poured tumultuously towards the Prince in a dramatic demonstration of loyalty.'

TALK TO BOY GOLFER.* For three hours this morning the Prince plodded Through mud ankle deep, leaned fences, and chatted with hundreds of Scouts. At the American camp he was presented with a bondoggky an American type of lanyard, by Brendon Mclnerney, a diminutive boy with blue eyes, who is a wellknown golfer. The Prince, bending down, said to Mclnerney, “You know Walter Hagen? He told me about you and said you would be one- day champion.” . The boy hushed and the Pr i nee .eontin ued in a disarming way/WWell, my lad, you have-got a long way to go before you can beat Hagen. But always remember " thisV Keep -your eye' on the ball and "you head still.’ I try to do it.”

At the, camp hospital the Prince exchanged ‘a joke with a young patient. “Is limit your cough mixture?” lie asked pointing to a bottle at the bedside.

< “They say it is lemonade but it doesn’t taste like it,” replied the boy. Approaching the American section, the Prince was surrounded by more than 100 Scouts of all colours and nationalities, each with a camera. His progress was delayed, but the situation was saved and ended in a hearty laugh in which the Prince joined, when a powerful voice shouted, “Get out of the way, you big hams.' We want to see the Prince.”

Mr Mortimer L. -Schiff, Who' last night gave the Prince a cheque for £IO,OOO for the promotion of international friendship among boys, presented him with the Order of the Silver Buffalo, the highest order in American Scoutcraft,

SINGING SCOUTS . As the Prince stood up in the royal box above the vast arena to deliver the* King’s message three deafening cheers rang out. The echoes had scarcely died away before the British Scouts were, singing, For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Again and, again they repeated the refrain, unifil ' brother Scouts . of. .all*, nationalities could not ( be,, restrained, A.s. the British cries died .down. the.

equivalent words in a score .of tongues npated on the wind from afar. Boys of all nations, first in groups, and then in hordes, rushed across the arena. , The climax came when as if by sudden impulse 35,000 British Scouts, twothirds of the whole camp, rushed wildly on to the arena and ranged themselves before the Prince. At his side was the Chief Scout. Among those watching , were Lady Baden-Powell, General Dawes, the American Ambassador, who is an old Scout, and the Ambassadors or Ministers of France, Brazil, Greece, CzechoIjjpvakia, Poland, Switzerland, and Hungary, and the High Commissioner of Australia. . THE PRINCE ON THE VALUE OF SCOUTING. The Prince after reading the King’s message, said: I have travelled abroad a good deal, and have seen Boy Scouts in almost every corner of the globe. This Jamboree proves that the idea which lies behind the Scout movement is a big thing which appeals to all .sorts of people irrespective of their nationality- , . •

The Britsih way of expressing the idea is to say, “Scouting breeds true sportsmanship.” Sportsmanship means straight dealing and playing the game. It means self-reliance and at the same time team work, playing for your side and not for yourself, winning without swank, losing without bad temper. It also means thoughfulness and making allowances for others.

It is an idea of loyalty and of service. The one thing at hates like poison is selfishness. ■ t British people have always believed in playing games because they hold that games foster true sportsmanship by bringing people together in a common and unselfish interest. ■ I should not like to say that scouting is only a game. It is a wide training in all sorts of useful crafts. But it ■can he, and is practised in the spirit of a great game, and you can all play •'it together, whatever your country, .class, or creed.

Every day scouting is growing and extending and bringing into closer touch the youth of all nations, and, as you work and play together at the many different forms of scouting, you are sure to understand and to appreciate the other fellow’s point of view, even when it differs from your own.

So I think the Scout movement is a great thing for individual Stouts, for the manhood of individual countries, and, more than all, for the development between different nations of understanding and good will in place of suspicion and selfish antagonism. So to. the scouters I would say that the time and energy that they are devoting .to their work is not thrown away, for they are doing valuable service for their countries and for the peace' of the world. And to you Scouts, I say, “Go ahead, stick to your scouting, make yourselves' as efficient as you can, be good

friends with your brother Scoots from other veduntries, and when you are older do not forget the comradeship of yur scouting days.-” \ 1 • .- - Sir Robert Baden-Powell, as. he declared, “I feel entirely unworthy of v the great honour the King has conferred upon me,”, was interrupted by & / continuous roar of <s No 1 no 1 no I” Sir Robert went on: I realise that the : honour 'is edrtferfed upon every single? : ! member of the movement of Vhieh i . happen to be the figurehead., We ceuld : > < not make every Scout into a baron. His Majesty has done that great, thing for .> me, and I hope the Scouts will realise it is an honour to the whole of our movement. ''' /S. ' Three other countries honoured Sir Robert. Hungary gave him -the First-; Class of the Cross of. Merit; Greece, the 5 Order of the Phoenix, and Czecho-SkK vakia the Order of theWhitd Lion.