SCOUT NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 119, 18 April 1940, Page 12

SCOUT NOTES

LATE LORD TWEEDSMUIR. __ (By “Ramil,") The passing of Lord Twecdsmuir in February last was a sad loss to all who knew him and especially to Scouts everywhere. His entnusiasm tor Scouting was well-known, and he look a keen, lively and practical interest in j ttie being Chief Scout or Canada since i 930. One of Ilia keenest hopes for Canadian Scouting was to see its membership top the 100,000 mark, and he was delighted that it did so in 1939. Lord Tweedsmuir intended to preside at a dinner in Toronto on February 2-1, the occasion of the launching of the Dominion-wide financial appeal. Everett, Chief Commissioner at Imperial Headquarters, had a special interview and lunch with Lord Tweedsmuir during his official Canadian tour. The Governor-Genera] was highly pleased with the satisfactory report that Sir Percy was able to make on Scouting as lie had seen it in Canada. The King sent a personal message to Lord Tweedsmuir on the conclusion of the Royal Canadian tour of 1939, congratulating Canadian Scouts on the way in which they were maintaining the Scouting traditions of their great country. 'Whenever he addressed Scout audiences, Lord Tweedsmuir was at his best. In March, 1939, he addressed a dinner of 1200 Scout leaders held in Montreal. He said:—“There is no more hopeless motto for youth than ‘Safety First.’ People should not bo foolhardy, hut they must be prepared lor an honourable gamble in life. They must play the long game and not the short ofie. To slip into the first job ottered when you have no aptitude for it, and no interest in it, is a certain road to disillusionment. Find " out wliat you want to do and insist on doing it, whatever tiic obstacles and dangers. Most addresses to young men say a great deal about character and too little about intelligence. The one is just as important as the other. The British people, and perhaps the Canadian people also, arc a little inclined to over-estimate character. Their attitudo is something like this: ! We do not profess to bo more clever than ovir neighbours—perhaps we are not so clever —but we have more character, and it means that when wo get into difficulties-wo always muddle through.’ I do not believe it. Nobody ever muddled through anything. In the last war we muddled at the start and stuck fast in the mud. That we won in the end was because we learned to use our brains better than our opponents. Today’s problems will never be solved by stupidity. Character is a most important thing in life, but it must bo illumed and directed by intelligence.” It is for wi6e words like tlie.se that Scouts will remember Lord Tweedsmuir. But Scouts, too, will not forget the romantic adventure they have discovered in the. novels of John Buchan. TROOP JOTTINGS. West End.—On Saturday afternoon we had an outing at the river-bed. In addition to tracking and stalking, wo cooked our meals over separate tires. Wo arrived home at 7.15 p m. and all voted the day’s outing a great success. Ken Giiiion was invested on Monday night. Mr Britton taught some of the Scouts how to lash. At the court of honour meeting after parade we went into particulars for tiic coming parents’ evening. Wo are very pleased to say that we have now one Scout in the troop who lias his signaller’s badge. Eight Scouts attended the lire station on Wednesday, when they commenced a course for the fireman’s badge. 4th Palmerston North (All Saints’) Troop.—We were very sorry to hear at our last meeting of the passing of an old and esteemed friend of the troop in Mr C. T. Cailis, and as a mark of respect we stood in silence at the beginning* of the parade. After flag-break, prayers _ and inspection, work was continued in patrol corners, where the patrol leaders are at present busy instructing the new Tenderfoots in second-class badge work. This was followed by handball practice for the A and B teams, and “pulling down socks.” A number of mixed relays (at which the Tuis showed great prowess) brought the meeting to flag-down and close. We wore pleased to see “Rikki” and “Rinui” present after a period of absence and hope they will now be able to get along regularly. ■ sth (Te Awe Awe) Scouts.-‘-The meeting opened with the usual flagbreak and inspection. The troop was divided into two sections, one taking ambulance work with the troop-leader and the other taking semaphore' signalling with “Wai Wai,” the A.S.M., which lasted about three-quarters of an hour. We were visited by a Scout from Tail)ape, who gave us some now games which were enjoyed bv all the boys. The mooting was brought to a close with a court of honour. Boh Hall passed his Tenderfoot test and two more boys are expecting to pass next week.

9th Palmerston North (St. Patrick’s) Troop.—The meeting last Tuesday opened with prayers and inspection, which was won bv the Moreporks. The Moreporks are showing great enthusiasm and are giving a good fight against the Stags, who are still leading in the troop competition. The Seagulls seemed to have lost sonic of their former keenness and are gradually fading out of the competition. The Tenderfoots were given further instructions and “Kalin” passed Pick Edgar for his Tenderfoot *nd gained five noints for the Seagulls. At troop handball victories were gained by the Moreporks and the Leopards. The Leopards won everything before by defeating the holders, the Stags, by 2—o. The main actor was Jack Anderson, who was +he dominating figure of the Stags. He was nobly supported by Colin in this heroic battle for the tin pot. In a preliminary game the Moreporks were victorious over the L'ous bv 3—o. Seagulls sat all night. The senior patrol is finishing off its missioner’s badge and next week wc are going to lie examined. The t r oop has been presented with a new handball and practices were commenced after prayers.