BOY SCOUTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5, 10 May 1913, Page 7

BOY SCOUTS.

oMORAL AX I) MANLY BOYS. London, May 8. .The Duke of Connaught-, presidingat the Boy Scant Council, t'estjhrdl to the value of,the jnovement in tunir ing out moral and manly boys. He re*.pudiated the suggestion that railitar-. i nn was at the hack of the movement. NOT A MILITARIST MOVEMENT, Christchurch, May 7. The cablegram from London containing the views of Mr J. A. Pease, President of the British Board of Education, rcgading the Boy Scout movement, was brought under the notice of Mr H. S. Boodman, District Commander of the Boy Scouts’ Association, by a Press reporter yesterday. Replying to a deputation, Mr Pease said: “I am anxious that no militarism should he associated with the elemen tary schools. A certain number of i parents fear this. Ami I think that there is some justification for the feeling that it is merely a military movement, in order to secure compulsory military service throughout the country.” Mr Goodman stated that in New Zealand there was a certain feeling, particularly in Labour circles, that the I Boy Scout movement was associated with the military movement. As a' matter of fact, it was -not so at alb: for the whole basis of the movement was citizenship and good character. The military element was simply there for the purpose of keeping the boys together, for with a mass of boys there must be a certain amount of drill to enable them to be moved about together. The uniform of the Scout was not a military uniform, but it was) very suitable and comfortable for j field work, and might be adapted as i a military uniform for cadets andj others. Mr Goodman quoted the following) clause from the Boy Scout regulations, I to show what the aims of the Boy Scout! Association were:—“The aim of the Association is to develop good citizenship among hoys by forming their character—training them in habits of observation, obedience, and self-reli-ance—incnlating loyalty and thoughtful ness for others—and teaching them services useful to the public and handicrafts useful to themselves. The association has no militay or political aims.’