VALUE OF SCHOOL CADETS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24711, 31 October 1945, Page 10

VALUE OF SCHOOL CADETS

EMPHASIS BY GENERAL PUTTICK «IFS» OF PRESENT WORLD SITUATION fnr^ e c^ e r" 0n . ariSes: <What » « all tor? said Lieutenant-General E. Putwl °S icer con ™anding the New Zeal land Forces, when speaking of the ca 2 ets to the battalion re ce ntlv hn^ Urch West High School ?w •/• .„ Ever yone of us hopes «™ £ J" 31 never , a S ain be necesS to Jura out a force to fight in a **" heritage of the British empire and Commonwealth is far too precious to be risked. There are too many ifs about the present situation overseas and throughout the world for us to rely entirely upon anything at

Therefore, it behoved them, during this phase at least, to organise and prepare and to make the international organisation, being formed and doing its best, to work. That organisation was not-hampered if Britain and the United States built up forces in readiness against the ideas of other na*tions which might cause disaster to the world A strong British Empire would be a buttress to that organisation The value of the school cadets and the territorial training system was proved when a crisis faced New Zealand on Jap3n entering the war, said General Puttick. The forces were then deployed overseas arid New Zealand had to mobilise an army of 90,000 men, supported, in time, by two divisions of the United States Army and Marine Corps. New Zealand was then 1000 officers short. There was no time to do things in a scientific way. The Army had to make short cuts, and the availability of those who had cadet training and knew something of military organisation enabled confusion and hardship to be saved the mobilised men, whose training was begun earlier. Naturally, those who had had territorial training were more valuable, still.

Tributes to the services given by women in the services, factories, homes, and fields during the war were paid by General Puttick, speaking to the girls of the school. General Puttick said that throughout the war it was not possible for any general officer to leave his post in Wellington to inspect school cadets. He was gratified that the keenness and standard of the cadet's at the schools he had so far visited were as high as ever before; personally, he thought the work of the cadets was a little better, because of the excellence of their instructors and the better and varied equipment now provided. Colonel H. A. Meyer, military attache to the .United States Legation, emphasised the need for enthusiasm and a critical attitude in all the boys and girls did in life. No ceremonial parades were held at the schools visited by General Puttick. He inspected the cadets as they carried out routine instruction.