SEA CADET UNITS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26562, 26 October 1951, Page 6

SEA CADET UNITS

CHANGE IN CONTROL PROPOSED

TRANSFER TO NAVAL BOARD

Establishment of closed units of Sea Cadets in secondary schools in the four main centres is now being seriously considered by the New Zealand Naval Board. Advice to this effect has been received by the Dominion secretary of the Navy League of New Zealand (Mr C. V Rawley) from the Naval Secretary (Mr D. Wraight). At present the only school Sea Cadet units are at -three secondary schools in Auckland.'” Mr Rawley said yesterday that the w , as , ?. n * iou s to have Sea Cadet Units established in ail secondary schools, particularly where there was a division of the Royal New Zeafe d »k««rve. He had applied to the Naval Board on of the Taranaki branch for authority for the formation of a unit at the New Plymouth Boys’ High School. Authority had been'granted but t s?* rep l y fr ? m the NavarSecrt•ary ma^e it clear who was to pay the cost of establishing and maintaining the unit Proposals for the transfer of the Sea Cadet Corps from the control of tiie Navy League to the Naval Board have bepn made by the Navy League and discussed with the board by a special sub-committee. If formed, the proposed Royal New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps would have defence standing equivalent to the Air Traintag Corps, administered by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the school cadets, administered by the Army. There are 397 sea cadets in the Dominion at present, 160 at Auckland, 46 at Wellington, 103 in Canterbuiy and 88 ta Otago. It is estimated Y 1 ? t uw n u der Naval Board control the establishment would be 2100 cadets. These would be in either school units or open units, which cater for boys in cities Or towns not attending a secondary school with a school unit, and those in civil employment. The general organisation planned for the new corps would provide for Naval Board control through a Director of Sea Cadets and for the formation of a Sea Cadet Advisory Council consisting of the director,' assistant director, two renresentatives of the Navy League and two. Sea Cadet officers. Area officers would be responsible to the director. .SSJft.'WMJSa as acting able seamen w higher if medically fit. Training would be to a Naval Board syllabus, and would include annual epurses at naval establishments. snecial camps under Navy League control, and every opportunity for sea training in naval ships, it has been suggested that approve* cadets should be retained within the corps as officers until their time would have expired with th? RN.Z.NV.R. S& S comp^ory