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Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 465, 23 April 1890, Page 4

The Boys’ Brigade, to which Lord Wolseley presented colours the other day, affords a striking example of the \ rapid growth nowadays of popular movements. Originating with a Sunday school in Glasgow a few years ago, the number of companies affiliated to the central body in 1886 was 44. In the following year the number had risen to 124, in the year after to 202, last year it was 292, and now, there are just 400, with a total number of 17,000 boys and 1,300 officers. Nor is the movement confined to Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia having taken it up, while South Africa is about to follow suit. Although the idea of the Brigade originated with some teachers belonging to the Free Church of Scotland, it is entirely unsectarian. _ Its real aim is to afford religious teaching to lads at that difficult age when they are just leaving school. Lord Wolseley, however, more than hinted that the Government might do worse than provide the boys with real rifles to use at their drill instead of t the toys which they at present cany.