[English] JAPANESE BOY SCOUTS. TEA AND SPEECHES AT THE HONGKONG HOTEL.

JAPANESE BOY SCOUTS.

TEA AND SPEECHES AT THE HONGKONG HOTEL.

A detachment of Japanese Boy Scouts arrived in Hongkong on the s.s. Hakone Maru early yesterday morning, on their way to take part in the International Jamboree at Copenhagen. They are under the leadership of Viscount Michiharu Mishima. The strength of the party, with the leader and two other officers, is 29.

Yesterday afternoon, the Hongkong Boys Scouts' Association entertained the visitors to tea in the Roof Garden at the Hongkong Hotel, when the doughty Japanese Scouts showed that they were lesser trenchermen than their comrades of Hongkong.

In welcoming the visitors, Mr. C. CHAMPKIN, Acting Scout Commissioner for Hongkong, said:-

"Scouts of Japan,- I welcome you most cordially to our hunting ground and give you greeting from your brother Scouts in Hongkong, who are deeply interested in you as pioneers of the Boy Scout movement in Japan. Your Association is yet in its infancy and your may find, as others have done, that the path of the pioneer is hard, but it is for you to lay the track and you are wise to go to the old hunters of the West to learn their secrets. You are the younger brothers of a world-wide League of Youth, but you are pledged to the same old principle of honour, chivalry and service that have been the inspiration of your people for centuries and that have made Japan great among the nations of the world. It is well that you, as leaders of this Movement in Japan, should go to our International Jamboree at Copenhagen and learn how the Boy Scouts Association are applying new methods to the service of your old ideals. We wish you a pleasant voyage and a happy and profitable time in Copenhagen. We hope that on your return journey you will make a longer stay here, and afford us an opportunity of showing you real Scout hospitality in camp, and learning from you some of the many things that the wise old hunters alone can teach."

Mr. HANCOCK, Vice-President of the Hongkong Boy Scouts Association, voiced the thanks of his organization to the Japanese Consul-General, Mr. S. Takahashi, for the privilege he had afforded the local Scouts of welcoming their brothers from Japan.

Mr. TAKAHASHI suitably responded; and other speeches were made by the visitors' leader, and his subordinate commanders.

The Japanese Scouts then sang a rousing Scout song, one verse of which translated, reads:

"With hearts of loyalty and fidelity we will train our bodies and minds, initiating the highness and purity of Fujiyama."

The proceedings closed with the singing by the Hongkong Boy Scouts of "Keep The Home Fires Burning."

The young Japanese visitors are due leave the Colony on the Hakone Maru to-day.

Source:

1. Page 5, "Hong Kong Daily Press", Wednesday, 18th June, 13th Year of the Republic of China

   • 17th Day, 5th Lunar Month, Jia-zi Year

   • Wednesday, 18th June, 1924 Common Era