WITH THE BOY SCOUTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 557, 9 January 1929, Page 13

WITH THE BOY SCOUTS

Four hundred Boy Scouts from Australia are expected to attend the International Scout Jamboree, which is to be held at. Arrow Park, Birkenhead, from July 31 to August 14, 1929. The English officials anticipate that 500 Australian Scouts will attend, but officials of the Victorian Boy Scouts’ Association said that this estimate is rather high, and more accurate figures would be 250 from Victoria and New South Wales* and 150 from the rest of the Commonwealth. The expenses of each boy will .-.mount to £l2O. The Jamboree is to celebrate the 21st birthday of the Scout movement, and 30.000 Scouts from 50 different nations will be present—the greatest assemblage of youth in history. The Australian contingent will leave at the end of May by way of the Cape and, after the JamVtree, will tour the British Isles for 30 to 40 days. They will return early in October, by way of the Suez Canal. The Chief Commissioner in South Australia, Captain S. A. White, will be in charge. Scouts must not be less than 14 years of age and of first-class rank by the date of sailing. Boys selected for the trip will have to pass a strict medical examination. The Chief Scout, Sir Robert BadenPowell, who will be under canvas with the Scouts, has suggested that the Australians should stage a corroboree, or the landing of Captain Cook, but this will be determined by those in charge of the boys, and by the boys themselves. * On Sunday, January 6, AssistantCommissioner E. B. B. Boswell and District Scoutmaster A. Tribble inspected the combined camp of the Otahuhu and Panmure Troops at Duder’s Beach, Clevedon. The camp is in charge of Scoutmaster the Rev. C. B. W. Seton and Scoutmaster Truman, with 62 Scouts under canvas. The site is excellent and the boys are all in perfect health. Sunday was visiting day and about 300 people went out to the camp. From there Messrs. Boswell and Tribble journeyed to Swanson and visited the camp of the West Street (Church of Christ) Troop, under Scoutmaster Walls, recently from England. The camp is being conducted on Gill well principles, each patrol living separately, thus giving the boys an opportunity to learn all branches of camp-craft. On the previous Wednesday the Assistant Commissioner and District Scoutmasters Tribble and Dyer, with the Indian party from Fiji visited the Kitchener Troop at their camp at Fern dale. During the afternoon the Indian Scouts played the Kitchener representatives at cricket, the match resulting in a draw. Mr. Shankar Pratap, who is in charge

of the Indian Scouts from Fiji, forwards the following notes for this column:— “We arrived safely at Stratford yesterday (January 3) and were met and welcomed by Mr. Mclnnes, the chairman of the Scout Camp Committee, Scoutmaster Cowie and others. Mr. Mclnnes then made arrangements for our one night’s stay. The Scouts arrived from Wanganui at 12 o’clock and we are going to the camping ground to-day (January 4). We also met Mr. Christie, the Scout Commissioner for Wanganui, and District Scoutmaster N. F. Waite, Commandant of the Scout camp. “There will be some 220 in camp and we hope to have a good time with our bi'other Scouts.” The Indian party will return to Auckland on January 13. CALLIOPE SEA SCOUTS CHRISTMAS CRUISE On Saturday, December 22. the Calliope Sea Scouts commenced their Christmas cruise on the ketch Kira. On Monday, however, tliey had to leave the Kira because the owners had paid off their caretaker and could get no insurance on the ship. The boats proceeded to Shark Bay on Monday evening and camp was pitched for the night. On Christmas morning the gig returned to town for extra gear, while the cutter proceeded to Pine Island to make a permanent camp. The inclement weather of the holidays marred the camp to a certain extent by restricting the outdoor activities of the boys. On Saturday camp was moved to higher ground on account of the weather. Sunday was visitors’ day. when a number of parents visiccd the camp. New Year’s Eve was spent ashore at Greenhithe. On New Year’s Day tenderfoot and second-class work was carried out and Assistant-Commis-sioner Woods inspected the camps of Calliope, Fame. Victory and Hawke, these companies also being in camp on the island. During the camp the boys attended two dances at Greenhithe, and a dance was held on the Pine Island jazz board. Camp was broken on Wednesday, the gig making the trip back to the dock with the cutter in tow in the smart time of two and a-half hours. The officers in charge of the Calliope camp were Messrs. Iversen. Haselden and Hender. THE REASON Jack: What made you oversleep this Jim: There are eight of us in the house, but the alarm was only set for seven.