THE JUNIOR CADETS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14473, 30 September 1912, Page 6

THE JUNIOR CADETS.

The decision of the Minister for Educa-

j tion " to remove the idea of military j " training from the Junior Cadets" will bo approved, we think, by most people, quite apart from that peculiar section of tho community that sees "militar- " ism" in red braid and toy rifles. Tho present position of tho Cadets is undoubtedly anomalous. They are quite properly outside tho Defenco Departi ment —as General Gcdley eaid on one occasion, they wero placed under the J control of the Education Department in '| urder to protect them from the military j authorities —yet they havo becomo % I semi-military organisation. They aro ; given military training that is I not recognised as such by tho i Defence authorities, who treat them, when in course of time, at the age of fourteen, they become Senior Cadets, as !so much raw, material, which has to ]bo subjected to recognised military ! training. It is not certain whether tho particular training that tho Junior Cadets undergo is of the kind best suited to boys of tender years, anc probably, so far as their health is converned, their time would be better spent in the physical training on scientific lines of which Mr Allen spoke. It is gratiflying to learn that this is Ito bo provided not only for tho boys who are now Junior Cadets, but for all boys and girls in the public schools. Physical exercises of somo sort are now part of the curriculum of these schools, but in some cases, wo understand, they aro carried out very perfunctorily, and it will be s good thing when they aro given the place in school work that their importance warrants. We do not quite follow Mr Allen in tho statement that Education Boards will be allowed to decide whether tho boys of Junior Cadet ago in their districts shall bo given military training; it would be better to have one system for the whole Dominion, and we havo no doubt that all the benefits of the present Junior Cadet training, and possibly more, can bo obtained by methods of a less military character than those now in vogue. Tho Minister has yet to make a full statement of his pob'cy in this matter, and when ho does so, it will, no doubt, bo found that while removing existing anomalies, he has provided amply for the physical training of the boys of the Dominion. It is quite possible that he may see his way to adopt General Godley's idea of incorporating in the new system some of the most useful features of the Boy Scout movement, to the great advantage of the boys concerned.