COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 107, 6 May 1913, Page 4

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

The attitude of tno British Liberal Government towards the question of national training is ciirionsly -nervous and apprehensive. The. President-of the Hoard of Education has just been approached with a request to permit the schools under his control to come into closer contact with the Hoy Scout movement ; and hr ha» told Sir R. KudonPowell, in rrply, that many people tcjrard the Scouts as an organination intended to introduce Conscription into the country under a thin disguise, and: there-fore-that the movement must not l)t> en-

Icouraged. In our opinion •Mγ.. Pease is] entirely wrong in his judgment. For j we hold that the Hoy &-out organisa- \ tion would be v splendid system if there -were no such thing as warfare in existence, and we believe that the British pen-pie :ire losing infinitely by their | fis-ilurr- to recognise the -benefits of regii- | lar discipline and physical training for tho risiDji jreTKinttion. But onr present object Is chiefly to , draw attention to the ditfra-cnee between the British and the | colonial point of view on this question, j A pjeee of evidence very much to the; point is the acconnt of the splendid re- ] eeption that-greeted the march of 20,000 [ cadets through, the streets of Sydney the j other day. Wo do not lay so much I stress npon' tho puhlic enthusiasm | said to Jiavp boon, inspired by the fin".: bearing of the hoys. We attach far more, importance to the testimony supplied by ■ the leading Sydney newspapers as to 1 he; effects that compulsory training h:us; alrcauly produced upon the boys and. young men of thai, great ■city and itsi suburbs. If it is true that, as the u Syd- j ney Morning Herald" assures us. the; introduction of this system has resulted; in ''the breaking up of the larrikin! 'pushes' which used to bo one of the j standing reproaches of the. city," "we need | only cay -that if compnlsory training did nothing more -far Australia than this, ifci would be well worth tho trouble and expense that it has-en tailed. Bat Trftether the ''Sydney Morning Herald" has exaggerated or irot, there can be no doubt that the natural and inevitable influence of sucli a system must 'be along the lines that it ias indicated. The benefits of drill and. discipline, tho enforcement of regular and ordexly_ babits, and the persistent inculcation of Tespect for established authority must be of inestimable value to boys and young men everywhere. More especially in young countries like our own, where the weight of tradition- and convention troubles ns very little, and. where the freedom of -eoeaal life tends rather to encourage- undue seM-relianee and resentment of control -among- the rising generation, the benefits of systematic • mnitaTy-training -are too manifest to"-'be overlooked or ■denied. Our own conviction is,, .and.-always-- lias been, jfchat jjothing'.'clee--could do so much, to -develop the national character on rational and-heatthy lines, end to train np- our fcoye-'and young anen, into decent iaad respecting citizens. Tie possibility of being called upon to fight in -defence of onr "homes is, happily, far distant from us all. Bat if the national armies that Australia and New Zealand are raising never fight a battle or fire a gun in earnest, we maintain that the system of-compnleory military training-that we" have adopted is already -producing, and cannot fail to produce, the best possible effects upon tho character and conduct of our people and on the- deTelop»ent ; of oar national life.

An old man nanied-George Scott, who •had 'been sleeping iri a cave aVXapier, appeared before the Court at Napier on Friday, charged with having insufficient lawful means of support. Sergt. Cummins stated that the old man had practically no clothes, only a lot of old sacks. He was between seventy and eighty yeJirs of age, jind, considering the present state of the weather, he thought something should be done with him. The OH People's Home authorities would not take him. He had 'been there nine times, but as soon as they washed and cleaned him, he marched otr. vScott said he was the first white man living who was born in the .North Island. lie was born in Wellington. Tt was decided to remand the case till Monday in order that it might bo <lo.alt with by Mr. S. E. -McCarthy, H.ll. In the mpantimn tho man will receive ihe kind -attention of the police.

A letter in reply to the Harbour Board's o-bjm'tion lo the, proposal to enlarge the prohibited anchorage area, was boforr- (ho Board from t.he Poet and Telegraph Department, a.t its meeting tlrfl afternoon; The letter ran: "The sumrpstion of your Board has 'been agreed to, and the 'Marine Department has i>ep;i nekorl to make the eastern liaundary of the prohibited anchorage a straight line drown .from the ba&hhtg-nlve-l <ii Shelly Bench to O'XeM's Point.

A correspondent of the Tarauaki hinterland refers lo an exceedingly narrow escape from a serious ucciden't which befell a. rural resident. He was ridiug a vahiaile liorso after dark along an imperfectly formed track, when suddenly he felt his horse going -over. He had the presence of mind to make, an effort to save himself by jumping off, and landed safely on the track. By dint of much scrambling and a great r expenditure of matches, he located his horse, caught in some scrub on a narrow papa, shelf away down the cliff. It was impossible to get the .horse out from either above or below. Every day someone scrambled down and fed the horse, the settlers meanwhile -working hard excavating to make a track up. After about five days this was accomplished, the horse being rescued quite unhurt. The .track is Teally. only a shelf ent in file cliff, and is so shockingly neglected that- in places it would be hard for even two-ducks to puss one another in safety.

Six companies of senior Cadet* paraded at the Drill Hall last night for inspection, thoso in attendance being No. 4 Company (Kden Cadets.), No. 13 ComT>any (City Cadets}, No. TS {Ponsonbyh No. 23 (Marist Bros.), No. 37 (Avcudale). and Xo. S7 (Waikumete). The G.O.C. (General Oodley) being ill, he was represented by Colonel Hoard (Director of Alintaj-y Training). Captain HaJeoy, of hLm.s. New Zealand, was nlrto present, and took part in the inspection. Afterwards the Cadets were formed in-a equara to take part in the presentation of the long service modal to Captain Khe.pherd. late of the -Senior Cadets. Captain HaJsey made the presentation, the proceedings beingthc-inore appropriate as Captain Shepherd was I attired in naval uniform, the uniform of the old volunteer Cadets. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Captain ■Haleoy delivered a spirited address to the boys on the obligations of duty and of being prepared should occasion arise. He was listened to with remarkable- attention, a noteworthy tribute- from 500 or go restless- youths.

The report of the acting-harbour-master (Capt. Sargcant) for tJ>e fortnight on<led May Ist, states that arrivals, including 122,347 gross tons and 834)78 net tons from oversea and Southern port*, and 37,854 tons gross and 20353 net tons of coastal slrrpprng, aggregated 1U0.20] tons proas and 104.831 tons iK>.t, the vessels numbering 2S iv the former class and 2(iii local coasters. The departures consisted of 22 oversea and South-ern-bound vessels, totalling 71,454 tons gross and 44.41S net tons, also 254. local coasters, of 38,577 tons gross, and 20,095 net tons, a. grand total of 110.0G1 gross tons and 60,443 net tons.

During the past seven days -between 20.000 and' :io.oon cliUdreji have visited H.M-s. New Zealand. In the handling of this vast crowd, there has not been a single mishap. City children -are conveyed dirort to the waterfront from their schools in special care, and country children iwe maicaed direct from the train to the wha.it. Mr. .Tames Hislop. Undersecretary-for Internal Affaiiv, is persoDally directing the thoroughly excellent BT<nftSoemeste made for the -handling of the -thou-=a-xrs of youthful visatore to the warship. During the week one. or two yo«!igsters managed to get astray, losing -their parties, and throwing themselves on the protection of the Undor-Secretary. One. litile follow of eight years. h.iiiing from Waihi, found so rancu to interest him on the battleship that he did riot leave until an hour or so after tli* nt.hers o f his scbool had £one. and a-ithotigii he knew his three brothers were ftopping the niglit with his jrrandnKfthor. he had not the Trmotfst. idea, where his grandmother lived. He was accordingly cared for over nijrht, and next morning triis returned to his school party before -the Rotorua express steamed out, quite content -w;th bis adventures during the 24- houTS thnt be was in Auckland.

The city fin- brigade received a. call iit about C.30 ■iast nighty i*>- premises in Vulcan Lane; ottrtipied by the AvoadaJe •loe.lcey Club, aaxl ow-ned by Mr. 3£a.nri<-ft CjiiH'y. The outbreak only a slight, one, ami -was quickly cxtjnjmsbed, thanks to the remarkable promptness of the -brigade in answering the alarm. The ca.tree»-seems to ton beert i-he fusing of some wires at the -back of an electric switchboard.

A paragraph -recently appeared in the "Star," stating-tbat Maori lands an the vic-ink.y -of Kawhiu would be offered for sale, by public auction at the Crown Iju'ikls Oflhte. The a nnounccment-ehoji'ld liave Tead ttert the landa iwrold be offered for .aale-at the-office of the Wai-Icato-Maniapoto District Ma-ozi Land Board, Oovernnrent,Buildinga,,.AnckkjKL

Rp-ference was made by-*he «bairman of the Oroua fManirw»tu)-<k>nnty-Caun- ;- cit to the .•tremendons-eicpense- incurred in taking the poll,for -the Wellington Harbour Board-<eJeeijon. InAis-county, he-eaidj-ihe £1.1/ each The-cost to the country of one particular-booth was £3 4/6jrfMl3ronovoie was recorded there, and tbai?-one-.-wes--informal! iHe -could more ridiculous waste of money.

Mr. George Dale, who was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday night last, suffering-from injuries sustained as the result of a. fall, is now reported to beprogressing favourably.

A prominent and observant resident of 'Pahiatua, .Triiojhas given the -stibject of local self-government carefnl study, favours-mniiicipal rates being -struck and collected twice a year, contending ttiat this system would save -bank interest.

The new liner ~sl*gara. which lea-res for Vancouver at {he end of the -week, ■will take 6,200 carcases of beef from Auckland, besides a quantity of other frozen meat and 600 boxes-of "butter.

The first meetimr : after the election of the Mount -Eden Borough Council was held yesterday evening, when counciHort-. after having been congratulated.- by the Mayor on their having passed safely through the election test, were informed that the validity of the election was challenged by ex-Councillor John Davis, and that the matter would come •before a magistrate for decision within the next fortnight. In the case of a decision voiding last week's poll, a fresh election will have to be entered on immediately. The Council decided not to enter on the year's work until the matter had been settled, and the result of the position is thstt. should the election be voided, the administration of the 'borongh's affairs will be delayed for about ere wecrks.

Mrs. K_ J. Sp.ddon is at present on a visit to Auckland. This morning, accompanied by the chairman of the Education Board (Mr. , G. J. Garland), Mrs. ■Seddon paid a visit to tho Seddon .Memorial College, in Wellesley Street. Amongst other things pointed onfc to Mrs. Seddon was a bust, in marble, of tho late Prime 'Minister, a replica, presented by '.Mrs. Seddoii herself to the college, and a very fine drawing, in crayons, purchased by the Board. The .pictures hang on either side of the main entrance, and the marble bust is being mounted on a grnnite stand. Mrs. Seddon expressed to the chairman her great appreciation of 'what the Board was doing- to perpetuate the memory of her late Inrshanrt.

For eucli a loyal country as oure is, the New Zealandere are. very casnal about some, of the little obeervancce which, though apparently inirignificant in themselves, mean so much. After a concert, for instance, about one per cent, of the audience 'has the good manners to remain standing while the orchestra plays its usual bar or so of the National Antb-em. At Victoria Park thie morning the number of men who stood etolidly by with their hats clapped tight on their heads while the band -was playing

"God Save the King" was appalling. Some of them do it through ignoraiice, some through eelf-coneciousnees. and the rest no doubt hax-e reasons of their own. but many of v* have yet to learn that a man never loses in respect hv showing it to otheTo—especially to hie Sovereign.

On Sunday evening Mr W. Jo-hneon was isiaiodsng on the river (bank at Huntly, and two launches -were comingup the river containing a. number of sportemen. One of the parties-discharged a gun at some object on the bank, and a ehot etruck >Mt .Johnson. Dr Macdrarmid attended to the injured man, and on examination it wae found that ho had sustained a punctured wound of the left cluvicle. H-ad the shot entered ha.lf a-n inch lower the consequencee would have been more serioue. Aβ it is the wound is not regarded ac dangerous, and Johnson is able to follow his usual occupation.

The Union Company's CanadSa-n and Australasian mail liner Marama arrired at Auckland at 6.30 a.in. to-day from Vancouver and 'Island ports en. rante to Sydney. On the voyage down *o Auckland the steamer -was fivoured by fine weather, co that tbe paesengens aboard were able to indnlge-in deck ganrte and other aronsements arra-nged , for their entertammeift. .Several concerts were held, and eoroe lectcres given by Mr F. Paton on "Glimpeas of the' New by all on board. Tbe ilara-ma is--to eail tiis--e»ening for Sydney. wJiere she is due en Saturday next.

Something like a pe.rmano.nt record of the enthusiastic demonstration accorded to New Zealand's gift-battleship- and- the j officers and men oh arrival at Auckland I will be found in the ilhtstraiod pages of the "Weekly Graphic." "In all, eleven pages are devoted ±6 the important i event, and the pictures illustrate .the impressive entry into the hanbonr, the Harbour Board and civic -receptions, the vicr-rctpil garden part}-, the decorations at the ci.Uzp.ns' ball, and other incidents of interest in" connection, -with the visit of the battleship. Probabry no 'better or mare comprehensive selection of photographs was eecured. and, as the re•prodnctions arc clear and bright—imcqualled 'by any rival weekly—tins -week's number of the""Weekly Graphic" is tire finest souvenir of the unique occasion -to obtaiu, both for -pergonal interest and for sending to friends abroad. In addition to the very fine Jot of illustrations, there is inclnded in the issue a full -accotmt of the arrival of the ship and of the ftinctiors held, thus making the number indispensable to all wio desire to preserve a complete record. Other features of the paper arc full'of interest, and it-will, he necessary to order copies eariy to. save disappointment.

A short time ago Mesers Winptone, 1/td.. carriere, fonnd cause for complaint against t.-aiif of t-iMair carters. w%o, they considered, "were Eot doing a fair day's work on a certain road contract. ITie linn held that the wn able J-o ue,vi witii six laade "of etoiie a d«y each, and as the carters carried only five loads Tn the ordinary -working -d}.y of Si hours, thny took the course of docking ones'.Xuh of each man's wages, relying on a oUimc in "who Anckl-ind Dtirens' award, wiiich states that wages may not be cock-ed except through an. employee's •>ick:n«e6 or default. The firm-wae charged by the Inspector ot Awaj-ti> (Mr E. ■W. F. Gokns) in -the ■MagJ6ti«te'&-Court, nearly three -weeks ago. -with α-breach of iho-jiwardj-emi lengthy evidence has beeii-JwkeJi since on 4,he-question-whether the carttsre idled <rr i>ot. >In ihe-couree. of his evidence, Mt C -Wtnstone, sea., stated -that .one of the carters (a native) •had told trim-thai, hecould'txke cix loads a. day, but the others threatened to "hoond liim-.eff the jab"'sF"l«'did. This was <i«iiied in evidence by the native hhneelf, and by other "cartero. TW-«ase will be further hesrd*on Saturday, -when the 'Inspector intends.-to call reWtfchig evidence. The--interest of the -case centres ra. thp interpretation -of -tiNtoraard., ac a rather important' principle---is involved.

Tlie valne of »aiw>,y as a. foodc» not generally -lcno<wn» says »■ ChriEtcturrch•. A honey » equal ±o. a intter"ia-"food Taluf»,.«mfAne ironey ■cxn •■be bemgrtrt-for-lose tbaa.lialf t.he-price-of^initterft<ie rrw^e-economical: to- use. Brfi>re-ixrm)j stored irv fchei<neete.r>-<>f -tbe- flowtm. i? 3, by -the bee, and is then ready for -thei meet delicate person.

The United States. of \Vaz, Mr. C. G. Garrison, urges, dmeions of the -army-ehoold lie periodically assembled in times of peace, in order,. tbai for war. Air. <3arrieen declare* that there is no need for a large army, "bo* tint, an army is required fhat shan be -nearlyperfect a» possible.

The Hon. St. H. -Rhodes (PostmasterGeneral) haa presented the Canterbury Museum -with a complete collection, of New Zealand postage and postage due stamps. The collection includes the stamps of Niue, Penrhyn, and Aitntaki Islands, which, atre in the Dominion's area. The specimens have been framed and heng in the eflmological room.'

Xineteeu boroughs ia. Xevr Zealand have this year : elected their Mayor -with-out-opposition.