ROTORUA GIRL GUIDES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 93, 10 December 1931, Page 7

ROTORUA GIRL GUIDES

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Dear Guides,— Captain reports tbat Kingfishers won Pohutu ribbon last week, but that it was very difficult making the decision; that everyone worked well; that Gwen received still another badge to add to her arm decorations — embroidress; and that Isabel was invested with her second's stripe and lanyard. Captain says, too, that you are forgetting the Maori songs you used to know. You will have to ask the Whakarewarewa Guides to teach them to you again. And so Thursday this week is to be your last meeting for the year. You are all, no doubt, looking forward to much fun at Picnic Point that evening. The Rangers have been invited, they tell me. Perhaps if you ask the Rangers very nieely they will tell you all about their tramp to Koutu last week and the camp fire and supper party they had on the shores of the lake there. And now for further adventures of the Peacock Patrol:- — This was the great day at last. The Peacoeks were going to camp at Mokoia. Just a little camp of four days it was to be, but they had been planning the details for weeks. A kind friend of Molly's father was providing the launch for- transport, and on this eventful morning the girls could be seen busily packing in their blankets, tents, billies,

axe, spade and all the parapnernana necessary for camp. It was no silent affair, this loading of the launch. Eight tongues were busily engaged. "Did you remember to bring the axe?" Did you see my camera?" "Won't we have fun?" "I hope Mother remembered to put in the blackberry jam." "Yes, and I think I remembered to pack my bathing togs." "Heavens!" came someone's voice voice above everyone else, "Mum made us a plum pudding and I left it on the table. Oh, no," with a sigh of relief, "here it^is."

I Then they were reaiiy on their way, a happy, gleeful, singing girl scout patrol. They didn't mind a bit, that their launch friend would not have time to help them with the tent pitching, although their previous experience of this was very small. It was all to be part of the fun. They lost no time on arrival in setting about cutting poles for the tents. What if some of these were rather wobbly ? The new-chum tent pitchers didn't care about a small matter like that. After a determined struggle with ridge poles ai}d guy ropes, at long last the tents were up and the Peacocks gazed on them with pride. One, as Letty said, was slightly "skew wiff," but that was Daisy's fault for cutting a wobbly pole. A shady tree to which they nailed a couple of boxes served them for a store-room. And Mere found a cool place for the butter in a hole in the roelcy bank of the lake. The first night's camp fire was long remembered by the Peacocks. Mere — and Rangi told them tales of the Maori long ago; of Hatupatu and Kurangaituku, of Hinemoa and Tutanekai, and of Hinei te Kakara. They =sr sang all the songs they could remember, and Pat amused them with humorous recitations. And no wonder all the girls in Molly's tent had nightmore, they had cheese dreams for supper. Then a hot bath and away to bed. 1 The next morning saw seven Peacocks vigorously enjoying a before-

breakfast dip in the lake. The eighth one, Lorna, confessing to a shivery feeling, had undertaken to cook the breakfast. So when the seven came ashore and were dressed, Lorna had everything ready for them. "You run and get the butter, Mere," she said, "as I don't know where your special larder place is." It was a sad Mere who returned. "Look at the butter, girls; I forgot - all about the water-rats. They've just about gobbled it all up." | "Well, thats' a nice state of affairs," said Pat. It was a good thing we brought plenty of dripping. Bread and dripping for everyone for the rest of the camp." "Now for a council of war. What shall we do to-day?" PERSONAL. Mr. and Mrs. Stratton, of England, are visting Rotorua and are staying at Waiwera House. Miss Stevenson, of Auckland, is at s Waiwera House. i j Colonel, Mr. and Miss Baker, of London, are among the guests at Waiwera House.