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Hongkong Daily Press.


Hongkong, Monday, April 8, 1935.
英壹仟玖佰卅伍年肆月捌日 禮拜壹
乙亥年叁月初陸日

No. 23918

第弍萬叁仟玖佰拾捌號
Page 4

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KING'S COLOURS
Presented To Boy Scouts

   Flagstaff House was the scene of much activity on Saturday afternoon when Mrs. O.C.Borrett, wife of the General Officer Commanding the Troops to China, presented the 4th Kowloon (Garrison) Boy Scout troop with the King's Colours, and also the Blanche Borrett Challenge Axe trophy.
   There was a large gathering present and among them were Major General and Mrs. Borrett, Brigadier General and Mrs. Seth Smith, Major Roupell, V.C., and Mrs. Roupell, Col. and Mrs. Bilderbeck, Lt. Col. McPherson, Col. and Mrs. Hearle, Capt. and Mrs. Maurice Jones, Capt. Clough Taylor, Rev. and Mrs. Davies, Rev. and Mrs. Bateman, Mrs. Kirke, Mr. and Mrs. Cock, Rev. N.V.Halward, F.A.Engels (District Scoutmaster, Shanghai), C.Low (Group Scoutmaster, 4th Hong Kong Troop), G.P.Ross, P.Connolly, D.Paul (A.S.M.), G.Maddock (Club Master), R.J.Dixon and J.Granham (Deep Sea Scouts).
   The Drum and Fife Band of the Royal Welch Fusiliers (by kind permission of Lt. Col. Hindson and Officers) rendered selections in the course of the afternoon.
   After Mrs. Borrett had inspected the Troop, the scouts gave exhibitions of bridge building, ambulance work and pioneering, and this was followed by a competition for the Blanche Borrett Challenge Axe trophy which was won by the Eagle Patrol. This trophy is presented annually to the best patrol for camping and woodcraft and each patrol had to erect, a tent, tripod and flagstaff.
   After the competition, the colours, which were donated to the troop by Colonel Bilderbeck and Lt. Col. McPherson, were presented to Troop Leader C.Foley.
   Lt. Col McPherson gave a short speech, remarking on the excellence of the display. He went on to say that a few days ago he had suggested to Mrs. Borrett that she should present the colours, and now she had gone a step further by donating the Blanche Borrett Trophy to the Troop. "This act is typical of Mrs. Borrett's work among the garrison and their families," he said, and added that he thought it very fitting that on the eve of her departure Mrs. Borrett should be presenting the Challenge Trophy.

Saving A Life

   Before presenting the letters and warrants to members of the Troop, the Rev. N.V.Halward, Commissioner of Hong Kong, on behalf of the Hong Kong Boy Scouts' Association, thanked Major General and Mrs. Borrett for allowing the Scouts to have the use of the grounds and also for presenting the Colours and Trophy; he also thanked Col. Bilderbeck and Lt. Col. McPherson for donating the colours.
   He then said that he had a letter signed by H.E. the Governor, Sir William Peel, to present to Patrol Leader Colin Foley, who was instrumental in saving the life of a fellow pupil at the Central British School. On January 25 one of the pupils of the C.B.S. cut his arm badly when he accidentally put it through a window. Foley immediately applied his scouting knowledge and put a tourniquet on the boy's arm, thus helping to save his life.
   Warrants were then presented to Group Scoutmaster G.R.Ross, and Assistant Scoutmaster P.Connolly.

MRS. BORRET'S SPEECH

   In presenting the Colours, Mrs. Borrett sald:
   "I feel sure it will be of interest to you to hear something about the raising and activities of the 4th Kowloon (Garrison) Troop Boy Scouts.
   "This Troop was officially recognised and registered on March 16, 1933, and was raised by its present Group Scoutmaster, Mr. G.R.Ross, with a nucleus of six boys on the roll.
   "It is of interest to note that the Wolf Cub Pack was started as recently as January 23 this year, with 17 on the roll.
   "The pack has already made much progress and has fully justified its formation. Although by far the youngest Pack in the Colony, the Cubs have every intention of making an earnest attempt in the Inter Pack Competition to be held on Saturday next, and I trust this attempt may be crowned with success.
   "I should like to add that The King's Colour that I have just had the honour of presenting to the Troop has kindly been given by Colonel Bilderbeck and Lieut. Col. E.R.Macpherson, and I feel sure that both the Officers Scouts, and Cubs of the 4th Kowloon (Garrison) Troop would wish to join the General Officer Commanding and myself in thanking these two senior Officers for their generous gift and in making it possible for the Troop to possess a real King's Colour of their very own.
   "We have all watched with great interest the Scout Display this afternoon and the Inter Patrol Competition, and are unanimous, I feel sure, in not only congratulating the Scouts and Wolf Cubs themselves on their efficiency, but also their Officers, who have expended so much of their time in instructing them.

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