BOY SCOUT YEAR

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20923, 30 September 1939, Page 13

BOY SCOUT YEAR

MEMBERSHIP INCREASE (Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Friday The most important year in the history of the scout movement in New Zealand from the point of view of the boys was reviewed in a report of the Dominion Chief Commissioner, Mr Hector Christie, presented at the annual meeting of the Boy Scouts’ Association this afternoon. The contingent of 600 scouts which attended the jamboree at Bradfield, New South Wales, at the beginning of the year had brought credit to New Zealand, and the boys had gained in a broader outlook, the report stated. The appointment of a fulltime training commissioner had been of great importance and reports of this work were encouraging. An increase of 2217 was shown in the total strength of the movement. Twenty-six of the 30 scout districts had shown an increase.

In his supplementary statement, Mr Christie said the services and organisation of the movement had been placed at the disposal of the Government. Scouting was not a militaristic movement, but recognised the fact that if ever it became necessary for a boy to defend his country or to take up arms in a just cause, he would be able to do it better if he had received scout training.