THE BOY SCOUTS' ASSOCIATION.
AN APPEAL FOR MORE SCOUTERS.
ANNUAL MEETING.

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   An appeal for scouters for the local Boy Scouts' Association was made by speakers yesterday at the annual meeting which was held in the Chamber of Commerce room, City Hall, under the chairmanship of His Excellency the Governor (Sir William Peel), who is the Chief Scout of Hongkong and supported by the Hon. Mr. R.H.Kotewall (President).
   On the proposition of Mr. C.Champkin the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:
   President: the Hon. Mr. R.H.Kotewall; Vice President, Mr. E.Cock; Hon. Treasurer, the Hon. Mr. T.N.Chau; reprenentatives from each Local Association elected by the Local Assoiation; Mr. C.E.H.Beavis, Lieut. Col. L.G.Bird, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock, Mr. J.Owen Hughes and the Hon. Mr. W.T.Southorn; Members of the Council, Mr. A. el Arculli, (representing I.R.C.), Dr. Chau Wai-cheung, (representing Chinese Medical Association), the Hon. Sir Shouson Chow, Mr. R.M.Dyer, Sir W.W.Hornell, H.H. Sir J.Kemp, Messrs. T.H.King, A.J.Lane, Li Jowson, M.L.Lo, C.M.Manners, G.P. de Martin, Ng Sze-kwong, (representing C.R.C.), Commander J.Newill, R.N., Representatives of the S.C.A.A., C.A.A. and Tang Wah Hospital Committee, Lt. Col. T.A.Robertson, Mr. C.A. da Roza, the Hon, Mr. W.E.L.Shenton, Mrs. W.T.Southorn, (Commissioner Girl Guides), Messrs. M.P.Talati, Tang Shiu-kin, the Hon. Dr. S.W.Ts'o, the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Victoria, Rt. Rev. Bishop Valtorta, Commodore A.H.Walker, R.N., Mr. Wong kwong-tin, H.H. Mr. Justice Wood, and Mr. B.Wylie.
   The Executive Committee of the Council consists of the ex-officio members of the Council and ten members of the Council who at present are.- The Hon. Sir Shouson Chow, Mr. T.H.King, Mr. M.K.Lo, Commander Newill, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock, the Hon. Mr. Shenton, Mr. Tang Shiu-kin, Commodore A.H.Walker, Mr. Wong Kwong-tin, and Mr. B.Wylie.

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Scout Commended.

   His Excellency then presented warrants to the following scouters: Messrs. S.A.Sweet (Commissioner for Kowloon), Wong Tse-shing, Sau Fung-ching, Fred Kwok, Pun Lai-chuen and Miss S.Dalziel.
   It was mentioned during the presentation of the report by the Commissioner that Mr. Cash, officer in charge of the Mongkok Fire Brigade commended the act of Patrol Leader Johnson Kong in assisting the Brigade at a fire in the district on November 5 last. The Commissioner remarked that His Excellency had approved a letter of commendation which would be presented to the scout concerned at a more suitable time.
   Before the Hon. Mr. Kotewall delivered his presidential address the Commissioner mentioned that the Regulations which had been submitted to London Iast year were approved as was also a clause which they intended to add giving the Commissioner power to appoint the Officer Administering the Government as Chief Scout during the absence at any time of the Governor.

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Association's Advance.

   Addressing the meeting Mr. Kotewall said:
   Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen,- In his Report for the year under review, the Commissioner, the Rev. G.T.Waldegrave, has said that while there has been a decided advance along certain lines, there has been a halt in other directions, and a retrograde movement in at least one case.

   My own observations have convinced me that the advance has been greater than the retrogression, because there has been a marked improvement in the efficiency of the Troops. After all, what we should aim at, and are actually aiming at, is quality rather than quantity, though of course the larger the number of boys joining the movement, the more beneficial it would be to the community by reason of the training which Boy Scouting affords to its youth in order to fit it for good citizenship. The trouble, as has been pointed out, lies in the lack of men to serve as Scouters. At our last annual meeting, a strong appeal was made by His Excellency the Chief Scout and by myself for people to come forward as officers; but the response has been I am sorry to say, disappointing. It is this lack of trained officers that has arrested the progress of the movement in this Colony. I now venture to make yet another appeal to those who can spare the time to come forward to act as Scoutmasters or Rover Leaders. Surely, the movement with its splendid objects and ideals, is worthy of some sacrifice from young men who have time to spare;  and there must be plenty of such young men in our midst.

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Splendid Effort.

   "Last year, when we were before you, I said that we were burdened with a debt of $16,000, the result of the purchase of the site at Saiwan for our training camp; and that the Hon. Mr. T.N.Chau and Mr. Tang Shiu-kin had undertaken to raise $6,000 for the reduction of this debt. As the Commissioner has announced in his Report, Mr. Chau and Mr. Tang have more than fulfilled their promise by raising the splendid sum of $7,000. (Applause). I am sure that you will all like to associate yourselves with the Commissioner in his expression of grateful thanks to these two gentlemen for their valuable help, especially for their generous personal donations of $1,000 each. (Applause).
   "There is yet another $7,000 to be paid off, and I echo the Commissioner's hope that before long we may call Saiwan Camp really our own. This can only be made possible by the generosity of those who believe in and sympathise with the work which the Association is doing. More and more the Camp is proving its usefulness, not only to the boys but also to those who give them training.
   "In the Commissioner's Report mention has been made of the difficulties encountered in the issue of the 'Silver Wolf,' the local Scout magazine. You will be glad to hear that I have received a letter from Mr. James T.Dobbie, editor of the China Mail, offering to assist in every way he could in connexion with the 'Silver Wolf' as well as in the compilation of leaflets to which the Commissioner has also made reference. (Applause). We are very grateful to Mr. Dobbie for this offer which we will lose no time in submitting to the new Executive Committee for consideration.

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Public Spirited Acts.

   "I must mention the help which Mr. B.Wylie had rendered to us in connexion with the 'Silver Wolf' until the temporary suspension of its publication (applause); and I am confident that this help will be forthcoming as freely in the future as it has been in the past. It is very encouraging to see that such busy men as Mr. Wylie and Mr. Dobbie have come forward to give us so much of their valuable time - a public spirited act which should serve as an incentive to others to assist the movement in work for which they consider themselves best suited.
   "Mention having already been made by the Commissioner in his Report of the large number of helpers who have rendered us special services, I will content myself with cordially endorsing his words, and expressing to them the warmest thanks of the Association.
   "I must, however, not omit to say how much we all are indebted to our hard working Commissioner (applause) whose experience, keenness and energy have made the local movement the success it is today. During the greater part of the year, Mr. Waldegrave, in addition to his already onerous duties as Commissioner, discharged the duties of Honorary Secretary. We are still in want of an Honorary Secretary so as to relieve Mr. Waldegrave of this additional burden. It is to be sincerely hoped that this announcement may catch the eye of someone who will be ready to make the necessary sacrifice to help us out of what is to us a real difficulty.

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Association Fortunate.

   "The Association is very fortunate in having as the Commissioner's assistants a band of workers who give a good deal of their spare time to the movement with the sole thought of serving its interests. The public may not know much of the work that is being done by these men, for big parades and such demonstrations play but little part in Scout training or routine. The Commissioner has always held before his officers and the boys the ideal of the knighterrant, the pioneer, the backwoodsman and the explorer - essentially lone workers who toil for the good of their fellow creatures. It is, however, the intention of the Executive Committee to hold an exhibition of the work in which the boys are trained, so that the public may have some idea of what the local Association is doing.
   "Our work would not have been carried on with such keenness and efficiency, had we not always received the wise guidance and sympathetic support of His Excellency the Chief Scout, who has once more shown his practical interest in the Association by sparing the time to come and preside at the meeting (applause). I beg to propose a hearty vote of thanks to His Excellency." (Applause).
   Sir William Hornell, in seconding the vote of thanks, associated himself with what Mr. Kotewall had said.

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Governor's Congratulations.

   In reply Sir William Peel said that he felt an undeserved bouquet had been thrown at him and he had to acknowledge it. In Excellency heartily congratulated the Commissioner on the excellent and full report which he had written and which was another indication of the energy and keenness which Iay at the back of the success which the Boy Scouts Association had achieved in Hongkong. Members of the Council were also congratulated.
   Continuing His Excellency said that he was sorry his appeal of a year ago had not had better results. There was no doubt that more workers were needed, especially in scouters. He knew there were many institutions, which were added to every year, and these called upon the time of many people. He thought it was probable it happened that the same people came forward every time and it was difficult to get those who stood back. His Excellency reiterated his appeal.
   It was very necessary in these days to take youths and train them in the ideals of service to fellowmen and their country and it was necessary that those ideals should not be ideals of theory but ideals of practice. "Do noble deeds and not read them all day long." quoted His Excellency, as a guidance to scouts.
   His Excellency also congratulated the Commissioner on the interchange of visits with neighbouring Colonies and expressed the hope that they would be extended. As Chief Scout His Excellency expressed his thanks to the generous donors of funds for the upkeep of the Association. They seemed to get along quite well but they did want the extra money for Saiwan Camp. Those who had assisted had set a wonderful example and he hoped others would help them to pay for the camp.
   In conclusion His Excellency thanked those present for their attendance at the meeting.