SCOUT NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1938, Page 2

SCOUT NOTES

(By “Eagle Eye.’’) The Patrol Leader of the Kereru Patrol says he searched the paper to find “Scout Notes” last'week. Oh, yes, Alf and “Kowhi” spent an evening turning the pages too. What happened? “Baloo” can’t tell us and “Tika” doesn’t know, so perhaps we had better leave it to “Rama” to explain. “Rama” however is wading kneedee®, not in mud, but among foolscap, balance sheets, encyclopedias and typewriter ribbons, and until such time as he emerges from the mire you will have to be content to listen to your old friend “Eagle Eye” banging on the keys of the old shack typewriter.

During the past weeks I have been peering into many queer places and I have seen some gruesome sights. I

still feel the cold shiver running up and down my spine as I cast my eye over a patrol of Scouts one evening. What were they doing? The trouble was they were not doing anything—just standing there with their sleeves rolled down and their liands in their pockets. It would have been sudden death if my old Scoutmaster had caught any of his troop even thinking of rolling their sleeves down.

All real Scouts who are on the alert never wear their hands in their pockets, because they nevei’ know, they may have to meet an emergency when quick action is necessary, and in the seconds that it takes to pull their 'hands out of their pockets a human life may be lost. A chap who goes about with his hands in his pockets, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, and spends most of his time trying to hold up a post on some street corner would never make a Scout. A Scout should always be alert, observant, ready with his sleeves rolled up, to hop in and get the job done, always with a whistle and a smile.

Let us sincerely hope that the Scouts in Masterton will always remember that a job is not worth doing unless it is done properly, and don’t let “Eagle Eyg” catch you with your sleeves rolled, down or he may say something nasty.

I had a peep into St Matthew’s Den last Friday night. I had not seeiT a collection of Scouts like this for a long time. Three troops were represented by the different scarves—Yellow and black of St Matthew’s, green and black of the Mo Katoa, and red and black were visitors from Pahiatua. There was also present a visitor from New South Wales. These Scouts joined in all the toughest games without any casualties, although when the officers played soccer the fire brigade nearly had to be called in. A grand evening finished with a special Scout supper, served by the Ruru Patrol. I wish people would not whisper things, but the Mo Katoa committee are on the trail of what I don’t yet quite know. But here’s hoping.