BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 99, 22 October 1915, Page 1

BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT.

The Dominion Chief Scout.

Visits Pukekohe.

In the course of a tour of inspection of tbe Boy Scoots in the Noith Island now being mad', Colonel G. Cosgrove, the Dominion Scout Master, arrived in Pukekohe un Monday, and Tuesday afternoon he inspected the Pukekohe Boy Scout?, who assembled for the purpose in the grounds attached to the residence of Mr J. F. McArthur, the local Scout Master. Several parents of the boys were also present. Ihe Scouts paraded in charge of Assistant-Scout Masters Richard Bilkey and Luke Wilson. After inspecting the boys Colonel Cosrgove addressed them, stating that he was proud to see that they were such a fine body, and hoped that their strength would increase to 100. The boys in other parts of tbe Dominion were assisting the Empire in < tbe present world struggle. Thousands of men who bad gone to the "front" would never come back and it was their duty to assist these men by following the Scout law, the aim being to develop good citizenship amongst boys by forming their character, training them in habits of observation, obedience and selfreliance, inculcating loyalty and thoughtfulness for others, and teaching them services useful to the public and handicrafts useful to themselves. It was their duty to do something that would leave the world better than when they came into it. The flag tbey loved most was the Union Jack, which stood for all that was pure and good. No flag gave more liberty. There were 20,000 Boy Scouts in the Dominion. For the men leaving for the front the Timaru troop had collected 20,000 books and magazines, while three tons of flags and literature and 1500 pocket corog passes were collected by the Wellington Boy Scouts. Ten thousand socks and innumerable parcels of towels and holdalls and other things ■' had been presented by scouts from all over the Dominion. Boys who put in BC*houra' service assisting tbe Defence Department or any patriotic object in connection with the present crisis were entitled to a war badge presented by General Baden-Powell. When the Japanese squadron visited Wellington the sailors were asked by a reporter what they considered the most striking feature they had seen in Wellington, and they replied, "Ihe Boy Scouts, every time." (Applause). At thj Colonel's command, the boys gave three hearty cheers, in ; tbe Boy Scout fashion, with their uniform headgear on top of their staffs, for Scont Master McArthur, and on the order of Scout Master McArtfiur three cheers were lustily given for tbe Chief Scout, followed by a war cry in Maori. The whole of the company present, including ihe Scouts, were entertained to tea by Mrs McArthur.

The Mayor, Mr H. ti. R. Mason, in a brief speecb, thanked Mrs McArthur for her hospitality, and at the same time welcomed Colonel Cosgrove to the district.—Colonel Cosgrove suitably returned thanks, Mr U. K. Lawrie supplemented Mr Mason's remarks, and informed the boys that it had been decided to form the Franklin County into a scout district with himself as Commandant. (Applause.) An exhibition of the exercises that go to make the Hoy Sc:ut movement of keen interest to its members was given by the boys, under instructions from the Colonel, and the proceedings came to a close.