The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1905. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CADETS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 254, 24 October 1905, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1905. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CADETS.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance. For tlie future in the distance. And the pood that we can da.

Since referring to the important part played by our public school cadets in the Trafalgar celebrations, we have received further information on the subject from Colonel Loveday, the officer in command of these corps for the whole colony. The facts are so interesting, and the bearing of the whole question of juvenile military training upon our prospects of defence are so obvious, that we need make no apology for recurring once more to the subject. It appears that the movement started in July, 1902, with something over 1000 bpys. Within a year an increase of over 1000 was recorded; and to-day, a little over three years from the starting of the ccrps, there are 13,000 cadets enrolled m the public school corps. The success of this movement has attracted attention even in England, and Colonel Loveday states that Lord Meath, Lord Alethuen anf' Lord Roberts, with whom he has been in communication, are all anxious to see a similar system introduced into the public schools at Home. \Ye have already remarked upon the zeal and keenness displayed by the boys in drilling and learning tbe rudiments of military tactics; and the testimony of Colonel Loveday proves that the enthusiasm of the cadets in their work extends through every district in the colony.

One serious difficulty against which the movement has to contend is the fact that the work of instruction has to be done by the teachers of the public schools. We need hardly say that our primary school teachers have on hand at least as much us they can do without adding military tactics to the already overloaded syllabus. Many oi them appear to have taken up the cadet movement with great energy, and the splendid marching and generaj efficiency of their pupils bear witness to their success. But it is not to be expected that ovr teachers can give all the time and labour required for such nor with the best of intentions could they hope to equal professional instructors in such work. What is chiefly needed to make the cadet movement an absolutely complete success is the appointment of regular military drill instructors in all the education districts. It has been estimated that this could be done for less than £ 1500 a year, and in view of the rapid growth of the system and the public interest taken in it, the Government might well consider whether such an expenditure is not only justifiable but advisable.

I The Premier with his usual public spirit has devoted some attention to the cadet corps; and it is understood that be is in favour of increasing "their efficiency and utility by extending the operations of the system considerably beyond its present limits. For instance, it is suggested that the officers of the corps should be recognised and graduated on a proper military basis; and that efforts should be made.to.render this system of military training continuous from entry into the cadet corps to enrolment as a volunteer. Every school i* the colony, primary or secondary, mght have a cadet corps, -fa w bich ser wee shoidd count. Boys moving from primary to secondary school might have the benefit of their past service; and eventually the volunteer syrtem might 'Ivf, — * ™ y > **** continuous with the cedet corps, li ikiM Mf j ii t lon

were cautiously and gradualiy worked out, it should result ih a great impetus to the volunteer movement* which would | cease to languish if there were a direct connection between the school cadet I corps and the companies enrolled for the military training of adults.

Another proposal bearing on the military efficiency of our cadets is the suggestion for an annual camp, in which the boys might learn by experience something about the routine of military service. At one of the leading Canterbury schools for the last eight years the cadet corps has gone into camp for a week at Christmas, and the expenses have amounted to 5/ per week per boy. It is calculated that if Government were to pay 3/6 per head toward such a purpose, some 8000 boys might go into camp for a week every summer, and thus learn far more than any text book or theoretical instruction could tell them of the real meaning of niilitary duty. The cost to the colony would be about £1400; and here, again, the pecuniary expense must be set against the great and manifest advantage of training our boys in the elements of that military experience which would be invaluable to them if ever our capacity for self-defence-is put to the test.

But &-> we have previously pointed out, the purely military aspect of the case is not the only sUe pf it which should concern the general public. The effects of habitual attention to discipline and respect for order and authority cannot fail to be beneficial, so far as the general conduct and character of tbe boys are concerned. It will interest our readers to know that in connection with these cadet corps there is established a regular system of rewards for good behaviour. Boys who are approved by the master of the school are rewarded for regular attendance, cleanliness and general good conduct —which last includes abstinence from smoking. The reward takes the form of a good conduct stripe, which can be removed on the recommendation of the school master. This strikes us as a very valuable and effective way of inducing the boys to recognise the close connection between what is generally described as good conduct and the correct performance of military duties'. We may add that all cadets on leaving the corps receive a "discharge" stating their rank and length of service, and giving a reference as to conduct and character, signed by the head master, i Here again it will be observed the benefits of military discipline are utilised to reinforce the ordinary inducements to ' good behaviour supplied by our primary school training.

There is one more feature of the good work done by our cadets in the public cause that deserves recognition. Shooting is for the school cadet corps an important part of their training; and as a whole they have made rapid and marked improvement in this direction. Every effort is made to encourage skill with the rifle. The best marksman in school or corps wears a special badge, and the best shot in the district receives a silver medal. All the boys chosen to represent their corps in the district firing and the competition for the North v. South Island shield are entitled to medals. In future the difficulty about the ammunition supply that has seriously interfered with cadet shooting practice is not likely to recur, for the Colonial Ammunition Company has now undertaken to manufacture the .310 cartridges required for the whole coloj-y. Now that the movement has grown and flourished so fast it is to be hoped that strenuous efforts will be made to foster even greater interest among the boys in rifle practice. The suggestion that an annual rifle meeting for boys—a sort of juvenile Bisley—should be instituted in connection with the public schools cadet corps is certainly worthy of the consideration of the Defence Department. But even without this, inestimable good has already been done in the cause of national defence by the establishment of this system and the promotion of habits of discipline and orderly conduct among our public school boys.