AnnualReport-1923 — Page 486

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Annexe F.

HONGKONG BOY SCOUTS ASSOCIATION, 1923.

A retrospect of the year 1923 shows general advance. The opening months found all troops busily preparing for the Jamboree, which was successfully held in the City Hall on April 13 and 14. Great interest was aroused and much direct and indirect support won for the movement. It was unfortunate that bad weather robbed the evening Concerts of the large audiences expected, and thus prevented the Jamboree from paying its way. However any financial loss was more than outweighed by the many benefits accruing. His Excellency the Chief Scout and Lady Stubbs most kindly presented a yacht to the Sea Scouts for training purposes, -a most valuable acquisition.

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No sooner was the Jamboree over than the Pinewood Battery was rented from the Military Authorities for a training camp. While the Camp is undeniably useful, the uncertainty of length of tenure bas prevented large expenditure in the necessary plant, but ou the future appointinent of a trained and qualified Deputy Camp Chief to superintend this branch of Scout Activity we hope to see a great advance made in the use of the ground at our disposal. The place is in frequent use, and is available in all weather, there being ample shelter and storage space.

In May the first of the Rallies which form a part of the Prince of Wales Banner Competition was held in the Happy Valley. The results were satisfactory, and some of the troops were surprisingly efficient, the actual winners being the Ellis Kadoorie School Troop.

Owing to bad weather throughout the summer there was not much camping, though then and through the year troops arranged many "hikes" in various parts of the Colony, the most ambitious of these being a four days' trek carried out by a small party in the New Territory, with their luggage on a pony.

The Census taken at the end of September showed a distinct drop in numbers, though the general all-round efficiency was clearly in advance of previous years. The Annual Meeting was held in the Theatre Royal at the end of October, when an illustrated lecture was given on Scouting and its Local Activities, and His Excellency the Chief Scout presented the Prince of Wales Banner to the Sea Scouts and to the Ellis Kadoorie School Troop, the joint winners, who thus also hold the title, "The Governor's Troop" for one year.