BOY SCOUTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 578, 8 July 1933, Page 6

BOY SCOUTS

annual meeting REPORTS FOR PAST YEAR SHOW GOOD GENERAL PROGRESS TRAINING AS CITIZENS The annual meeting of parents of the above troop was helu in St. Luke's Hall on Tuesday. There' was a very fair representation of parents and Rev. J. C. Young opened the meeting with' prayer. The president, Mr. J. IR. Alexander, welcomed those present, and expressed the desire to have all matters fully discussed and any suggestion put forward that would tend towards the welfare of the scouts would be appreciated. The yearly balance sheet and committee's report was then read and ad_ qpted, the balance sheet showing a bank balance of £2 12s 6d after having spent £38 in providing the troop with new tents, and necessary equipment. The scout master's report was also read and adopted. Several of the parents then expressed their appreciation of the fine work that Scoutmaster Hawkins had done during the year in maintaining the efficiency of the troop . at the same time gaining the full confidence of the boys. The report of the cub mistress, Miss J. Wallace, was also read and adopted and the president expressed the •greatful thanks of the committee for the manner in which she had maintained the pack and the interest which she took in each individual cub. The pack now numbers 21 young cubs, all nicely dressed, always busy and always looking the part. Election of Officers The following were then elected as officers for the next year: — 'President, Mr. J. IP. Alexander; vice-presidents. Revs J. C. Young, S. B. Corbin and F. Bateup and Mr J. Painton; hon. seeretary, Mr. J. Boord; treasurer, Miss N. Allen; committee, Mesdames Painton, Blencowe, Harvey, Scott, Osler, Miss Bloomfield and Mr. D. Kingon. Annual Report The annual report stated inter alia: The first meeting of your committee was held on July 5, 1932, and the outcome of this meeting was the very successful clothes drive, which was staged on behalf, (and with the assistance) of the Women' s Club. During the year dances were held to augment the funds of the committee. The first of these was held in the Devon Street Hall, and the thanks of the committee are to all those willing helpers whose combined eff or o resulted in the excellent profit of £6 3 s 5d. Another dance of outstandmg success was the one held in Tama-te-Kapua. To Mrs. Yates and her helpers, to the ladies committee of St. Faith's Church and many other ladies of the town who gave donations of cakes, etc., and to the mothers of scouts for similar help at various times, we owe a debt of gratitude. Special reference is due to Mrs. Pam ton (convenor) and her committee, and thanks is due to all those who helped to make the music, cards and supper such a great success. The profits from this dance were £12. Several "bun fights" have been given to the boys on parade nights through the generosity of Miss Bloomfield and the ladies of the committee. The scoutmaster's reports have been presented at each meeting and have kept the committee well informed as to the nrogress of the scouts. The reports show that the troop is steadily improving and is doing admiiaole work under the leadership of S.M. Hawkins. During the year your scoutmaster put in a considerable amount of time in the formation of a troop at Ngongotaha and Mr. Hawkins is to be con. gratulated on this work. In October a cub pack was inaugurated in Rotorua, under the guidanc of your committee and Cub-maste • Watson, assisted by Assistant Cu! mistress J. Wallace. During the yec: Cub-master Watson resigned owir •->; to hisl leaving the district, and Mi . ? Wallace was appointed to the pos - tion of cub-mistress. Recent repor s on the progress of the pack have bee.i most favourable. The Christmas camp was as usrs.j carried out without hitch and was f. - of the best camps so far held by t .2 troop. A new position was used i r the camp and proved to be much mc.-'e convenient and suitable, and grea: added to the comfort of the boys. I .r the most part the camp was under iv control of Scoutmaster Hawkins, i.itil his return to his work, when it was taken over by Cub-master Wi tson and'Mr. Boord. The residents of Maketu again showed their incompa:able hospitality and did all in the r power to make the boys' stay a happy one. The water supply was cne of the features of the camp and for this we have to thank Mr. Tai Mitehell. A suggestion to hold a general camp at Waihi, was considered by the com-

mittee, but as it was apparent that the cost per boy would be Too great the prospect was abandoned. Owing to the retirement of Rev. A. C. Randerson the vacancy on the committee was filled by Rev. J. C. Young of the Presbyterian Church. Your committee also lost the services of a good worker when Mrs. Pearce found it necessary to resign. During the year the troop enterijained the English schoolboys, and at the concert given in their honour, our bcys gave a very good account jf themselves and are to be eongratulated on the arrangements made. - The thanks of the scouts are due to Mr. A. Macdermott for his assistance with a picture show, the proceeds from which were £6 11s 3d. In summing up, your committee is to be congratulated on concluding a most successful year's work under the able guidance of your president, Mr. J. R. Alexander, whose knowledge of scouting has been of material assistance. President's Thanks The president then thanked all the office-bearers for the services they had rendered during the past year — and in extending a welcome to the incoming members, expressed the wish that ffiey would all have a very happy year in the work of building up a strong „roop, urging the necessity of every effort to gather in the boys of Rotorua intol a movement that was dong such splendid work with the one object in view, namely, that of assist. ing to help them to become in time •ffietter eitizens."