Hongkong Daily Press.
Hongkong, Thursday, January 14, 1937.
英壹仟玖佰卅柒年正月拾肆日 禮拜肆
丙子年拾弍月初弍日
No. 24462
第弍萬肆仟肆佰陸拾弍號
Page 2
SCOUT AND CUB NOTES AND NEWS
DEATH OF "UNCLE ELWES"
Jamboree Contingents
A party of eleven will represent South Australia at the coming International Jamboree, to be held in Holland in August, and it is expected that the Commonwealth will send over 100 abroad to bring back another fresh wave of enthusiasm at the end of 1937. The following comprise the South Australian contingent:- R.H.Dodd, S.M. (1st Scotch College); H.Martina, S.M. (1st Semaphore); F.M.Chabrel, C.M. (1st Glossop); A.G.Beal, A.C.M. (1st College Park); A.L.Harper, A.S.M. (1st Hawthorn); H.J.Matters, A.S.M. (2nd Parkside); L.R.Lewis, Rover (2nd Enfield); T.L.Lewis, Rover (2nd Enfield); M.A.Kemp, Rover (1st Gawler); M.D.Hall, Rover (1st Fullarton); N.Engelhart, P.L. (1st Scotch College).
The camping ground for the International Jamboree is situated in one of the most rural spots, behind the sand dunes of Holland a nine minutes train journey from Haarlem, 25 from Amsterdam and 30 from the Hague, in the historic estate "Vogelensang" in the village of Bloemendaal. The hunting lodge in the centre of it was built in the 13th century by the well known Dutch Count Floris V. And here it is that the World Jamboree for the fifth time during the 30 years' existence of the Scout Movement will pitch its tents and fly the flags of the nations. It will be a town in itself, but a tent town, and a town of youth symbolical of the World Brotherhood.
GEOFFREY ELWES DEAD
The passing of a great Scout leader is reported in the news of the death of Mr. H.Geoffrey Elwes, a man who devoted his life to the welfare of youth, and who helped, right from the beginning, to build up the Scout Movement to the very high standard it has reached today. Mr. Elwes began work with boys in the autumn of 1894, when working for his Law final, and commenced in the borough which was, at that time, one of the poorest parts of London. In 1908 he saw the birth of the Boy Scout Movement, and found another great purpose for his knowledge of youth, and so he founded the 1st Colchester Boy Scout Troop, to develop citizenship among the boys, by forming their character and training them in the habits of observation.
He became the editor of the "Headquarters Gazette" now "The Scouter" in January, 1911, and continued as editor until 1926. From that date until 1930 he conducted a feature in the magazine entitled "From the Uncle's Chair." His Scouts and friends gave him the name of "Uncle" and he was known to the whole Movement as "Uncle Elwes." At the first Scout Conference at the Crystal Palace in September, 1909, Mr. Elwes introduced an undenominational religious service for Scouts, known as "The Scouts' Own." The service is carried out in nearly all Scouts' camps today.
Mr. Elwes resigned as District Commissioner for Colchester in 1918, when he was appointed Chief Scout's Commissioner by Lord Baden Powell. He was chiefly responsible for the great United Service at the first Boy Scout Jamboree at Olympia in 1920 and, jointly with Sir Percy Everett, for the service at the Wembley Jamboree in 1924. As Assistant Camp Chief for Religious Observances, he was also responsible, with the assistance of Sir Percy Everett and a number of other well known men, for the great services which were held at the World Jamboree in 1929, at Arrowe Park, which was attended by 50,000 Scouts from 48 different nations.
PRINCE GUSTAF ADOLF
During a recent visit to Stockholm on the occasion of the Swedish Scouts Jubilee, Mr. Hubert Martin, the International Commissioner at Scouts Headquarters, London, attended a dinner party given by T.R.H. Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla to the heads of the Swedish Scouts and the representatives of other countries who were present. There he learned the great news that Prince Gustaf Adolf will personally take charge of the Swedish contingent to the World Jamboree and will have as his assistant Count Folke Bernadotte.
CASTLE RESTORATION
Castle Mains, a 13th century castle, East Kilbride, Scotland, once the home of the Red Comyn during the days of Robert the Bruce, is to be restored by the 1st Kelvinside Boy Scouts, under the supervision of their 21 year old Scoutmaster, Hugh B.Millar, and will be used by the Scouts as a weekend camp.
A crane has been rigged up to rebuild the battlements, which will be used as a look out tower. While clearing the debris they found the original key of the castle gates, and have unearthed ancient vessels and coins which have been submitted to experts. The Scouts are exploring, and hiding places cunningly concealed in the walls have been discovered. The exploration of the passages is being carried out with the greatest caution, as after such a lapse of time roots may be in a dangerous condition. The task of renovating is estimated to take twenty years.
DEEP SEA SCOUTS
A loss to Hong Kong Scouting was recorded recently on the departure of Pay Cdr. K.Lawder, R.N., Fleet Scoutmaster of the Deep Sea Scouts, China Station, from Hong Kong. "Skipper," as Pay Cdr. Lawder is better known to foreign Scouts along the China coast, can really claim to have climbed nearly all the mountains between Hong Kong and Chinwangtao, North China, and his wealth of knowledge in this matter has proven of inestimable value.
The majority of the Deep Sea, Scouts will also be gone in a few weeks and the debt that local Scouts owe to these men cannot be reckoned. During their stay here they have put in a lot of back breaking work in getting Saiwan Camp into shape every time they spent the weekend there. Perhaps the most valuable contribution to Hong Kong Scouts was the installation of a pipe line over half a mile in length, with which they tapped a mountain stream and thus brought water into the Camp. Prior to this scouts had had to tramp a long distance to reach their supply of fresh water.