PROTECTIVE COLOURING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 865, 8 January 1930, Page 6

PROTECTIVE COLOURING

A chameleon, turning dead white. Observed, “This is not due to fright. When I’m really afraid, My best trick is soon played; I go black, and escape in the night.’”

by Metropolitan Commissioner Holdsworth and Commissioner Boswell, he first visited the Leys Institute .troop at Huia, in charge of Scoutmaster Abbott, then called on the Ellerslie troop, under Scoutmaster Walker, at Howick, and the Kohimarama troop camp at Maraetai, run by Scoutmaster C. Ruxton Bach and Mr. Phillips, chairman of the troop committee. On December 31 the same party went to Pine Island and inspected the camps of the Calliope, Hawke, and Vindictive Sea Scouts. The Onehunga Town Troop, under Scoutmaster Tonks, at Cornwallis, and the Grey Lynn camp at Clevedon South, in charge of Scoutmaster Swales, were also inspected. Major Sandford states that the general appearance of the camps was good. Last Monday afternoon Major Sand-

ford called at the Wigwam, and had an interesting chat about Gilwell camps, and his personal impressions of the jamboree. He also stated that he would like to see more trekking in the Auckland district, not mere hiking, but actual trekking, with a proper trek cart. In the South some troops have as many as two. In this way more ground may be covered, and more places of interest seen. He referred to one trek cart in particular—his friend of many journeys, built in 1914 with second-hand wheels and axle, and a packing-case body of white deal. This trek cart has covered over 2,000 miles, and has now had its second pair of wheels fitted. One of the greatest advantages of a trek cart, said Major Sandford, is that any member of the party suffering from sickness or fatigue may be given a lift without materially hampering his companions. Any troop can make a trek cart from an ordinary cart that has fallen into disuse, and the advantage of their being the usual width is that they run smoothly in the ruts on country roads. Major Sandford will leave Auckland this evening for the South, where he will inspect the scouting districts at Ashburton and Timaru. District Commissioner A. V. Windsor, who lias charge of all the inhabited islands of Torres Straits, Queensland, is at present visiting Auckland. Mr. Windsor lias organised an exceptionally fine group of native Scouts and Rovers in Badu. He lias also been responsible for the formation of a number of Groups on other islands. Scouting has made a wonderful improvement in the outlook of these native boys. Mr. Windsor hopes to see something of the activities of the Auckland Scouting District.