XN000022-1983-04-16 — Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1983

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GOVERNOR STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF SCOUTING

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SCOUTING AND SIMILAR YOUTH MOVEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AS THEY STIMULATE NEW INTERESTS TO COUNTER-BALANCE THE UNSETTLING

CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE ST GEORGE'S DAY SCOUT RALLY HELD AT THE DIOCESAN BOYS' SCHOOL.

SIR EDWARD SAID SCOUTING DEVELOPED PERSONALITY, DISCIPLINE AND A SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMPLEMENTED THE EDUCATION RECEIVED AT HOME AND IN SCHOOLS.

+THE VALUE OF ITS INFLUENCE ON THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG CITIZENS AND OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN INCALCULABLE,+ SIR EDWARD ADDED.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

PRESIDENT, FELLOW SCOUTS AND GUESTS,

+1 AM VERY PLEASED TO JOIN YOU TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE OCCASION OF YOUR ANNUAL RALLY.

+OVER THE 72 YEARS OF ITS HISTORY THE SCOUT MOVEMENT IN HONG KONG HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE AND TRAINING TO HALF A MILLION BOYS AND MORE. THE VALUE OF ITS INFLUENCE ON THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG CITIZENS AND OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN INCALCULABLE. SCOUTING DEVELOPS PERSONALITY, DISCIPLINE AND A SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. IT COMPLEMENTS THE EDUCATION RECEIVED AT HOME AND IN SCHOOLS. SCOUTING AND SIMILAR YOUTH MOVEMENTS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN ENABLING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND IN PROVIDING AN OUTLET FOR YOUTHFUL ENERGY. THEY STIMULATE NEW INTERESTS TO COUNTER-BALANCE THE UNSETTLING CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE BUSY WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.

+THIS YEAR IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT FOR SCOUTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BECAUSE WE CELEBRATE THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORLD MOVEMENT. TO COMMEMORATE THE FORESIGHT OF YOUR FOUNDER, YOUR ASSOCIATION HAS PLANNED A SERIES OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES WHICH CULMINATE IN SEPTEMBER.

+LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE AND LIVING UP TO YOUR MOTTO OF +BE PREPARED+, YOUR ASSOCIATION HAS ALSO COMPILED THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE 1980'S TO KEEP THE MOVEMENT ABREAST OF THE MANY EVOLVING ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY LIFE IN HONG KONG AND TO MEET YOUR COMMITMENTS TO THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION AND THE WORLD ORGANISATION. LATER THIS AFTERNOON I SHALL HAVE THE PLEASURE OF RECEIVING FROM ONE OF YOUR BENEFACTORS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD FOUNDATION. THIS IS YET ANOTHER INDICATION OF THE ACTIVE ROLE OF HONG KONG IN THE WORLD BROTHERHOOD OF SCOUTING.

+FINALLY I SHOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL SCOUT LEADERS AND SUPPORTER FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS, WITHOUT THEM SCOUTING COULD NOT FLOUR ISH AS IT DOES. AND I WISH SCOUTING IN HONG KONG CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.+

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