The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1932. TRUE CITIZENSHIP.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1932. TRUE CITIZENSHIP.

In the course of an address to Boy Scouts at Wellington last week his Excellency the Governor-General, who recently accented office as Chief Scout for New Zealand, congratulated those present on the gratifying progress within the confines of New Zealand of this great work movement, to testify to its immeasurable power for good throughout the whole body politic, and to thank all those from the Chief Commissioner downward who, as councillors, district commissioners, officers, * examiners, instructors, or as members of local committees, have during this past difficult year so unselfishly and patriotically directed, controlled, or inspired its multifarious activities. That the Boy Scouts, like it® twin sister, tile Girl Guides, is a virile and progressive movement in this Dominion is best illustrated 1 , by the paragraph on the 24th. annual report, which gives figures of its numerical strength as the' outcome of the census taken at September 30 last. From this it appears that there is now a total membership of all ranks and descriptions of, 12.401, Showing (a net increase during the year of 588—in spite of the prevailing poverty consequent upon current economic conditions —an increase which is spread fairly generally over the whole Dominion. It indicates not merely, as at, Invercargill and elsewhere, zealous activity among those public-spirited citizens who, guide and control the movement, but a growing consciousness that this 'great fellowship of boyhood i,s meeting a real national need and is worth some sacrifice on the part of parents and boys alike as a remunerative, moral, aud spiritual investment. It was this progressive conviction on his own part, which induced him, conI tinued Lord Bledisloe, ’amid a plethora lof other ties and commitments, to ' accede to the request of his muchrespected friend, Lord Baden Powell, that he should become Dominion Chief Scout, and thereby, even if he could devote but little time to participation in its activities, give the fullest measure of encouragement' do the .pursuit of its ideals, foremost among which must he placed the service of God and of fellow human beings, and tine formation of character as the basis of true citzeiiship, The Boy Scout movement k being put by economic adversity' to the supreme test of its efficacy as an outstanding factor is *he advance of civilisation. It was his fnrnest hope and confident belief that it will issue from it with enhanced prestige and even wider acknowledgment of it® national utility. Ha was particularly pleased to note that happy relations are now established between Dominion headquarters and the district headquarters of the movement, in New Zealand, and sincerely hoped that the process of decentralisation which ha® recently keen effected and which permits of the more populous centres controlling their own activities, other than problems of general policy and finance., may be justified in its results, and that it may conduce to the increased, stability land ordered progress of the movement. He was also glad to notice the' cordial co-operation of the Boy Scouts with other organisations which are seeking to promote the physicial moral and spiritual welfare of the yOuth of the nation.