BOY SCOUTS.

PROPOSED RESURRECTION OF HONGKONG CORPS.

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   When Lieutenant General Baden-Powell paid his visit to Hongkong in 1911 and saw the splendid material which this Colony could furnish for the formation of a Boys Scouts Corps, he probably never dreamed that the work which he advocated in this connection was destined to an early failure, not because there was any difficulty in the matter of recruitment but that official interest spent itself after the first few months of the Corps existence. The Corps, so far as we can remember, came into existence in 1913, principally through the efforts of Major (now Lt. Colonel) Bowen, who became first Scoutmaster, and Lady May whose interest in the organization is still remembered by the boys who were once its members. The Corps was then a well-equipped and organized body, with its Bugle Band, its leaders graded according to the various districts, and, what was most important of all, an esprit de corps which eventually found expression in the proposal to erect a Scouts Hall where members could foregather. For this purpose a building fund was raised, whilst the Corps Patron, Sir Henry May, promised a free grant of land for the site of the proposed structure. Up to this point everything augured well for the Corps, but with the outbreak of war and the cessation of the interest which Sir Henry had hitherto displayed the Corps became gradually disorganized, until when Major Bowen, who did much to keep the Corps together, proceeded Home, it died a natural death through lack of controlling authority.

   After five years of inactivity the proposal has now been put forward of resurrecting the Corps.
   His Excellency the Governor, we are informed, has requested Major Bowen who has returned to the Corps, and with this end in view an unofficial meeting will be held on Thursday at which the proposal will be put forward to the Scoutmasters of the Corps and the old members. If the suggestion is favourably received, this meeting will be followed by a larger gathering at which it is hoped the Corps will be formally resurrected on the basis of the old Charter which is still in existence. With His Excellency who is known to take much interest in these matters as the Patron the body should quickly be re-established on its old strength, and the building funds which are still in the hand of the bankers be put to the use for which they were originally intended.