CANTERBURY SEA CADETS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27533, 15 December 1954, Page 14

CANTERBURY SEA CADETS

25TH ANNIVERSARY i OF CORPS SPECIAL PARADE AT H.M.N.Z.S. PEGASUS About 100 cadets of the Canterbury Sea Cadet Corps paraded at H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus last evening to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the corps in the district. Commander J. D. Keay, V.R.D., Director of Naval Reserves and Mobilisation. conveyed to the corps the congratulations of the Naval Board. “You have put on a first-class show,” he said after seeing the cadets on parade. “I was very proud to see the way you carried out your drill, arid I was extremely pleased with your bearing.” He had often been asked which was the best sea, cadet unit in New Zealand, said Commander Keay. He would say that there was not a better unit than Canterbury. Commander Keay paid a tribute to those who had been responsible for starting the corps yi New Zealand. The Canterbury unit, he said, was by far the oldest, and until two years ago, the entire sea cadet organisation in New Zealand had had its headquarters in Christchurch, and had been administered mainly by the Navy League, it was a tribute to the Navy League’s interest that there were now nearly 1000 sea cadets in New Zealand. “Without the Navy League, such a pleasant function as this would not be possible,’’ he said. Mayor’s Tribute The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) said the parade served to confirm his impression that, where the country’s youth were prepared to devote themselves to some form of service, there was nothing to fear about their future. In the early years of its history, the British Empire had depended on the strength of the Navy and the men who married ships, said Mr Macfarlane. Those who were entering the Navy were therefore entering a service with a magnificent history. "Our Navy has great traditions in the preservation of liberty, and I know that, with the training you will receive, you will be just as keen and anxious to maintain the reputation that has been built up in the last 25' years,” Mr Macfarlane said. “We meet now m no spirit of aggression, but determined to maintain our liberties. "I sometimes see criticism of ceremonies like this.” he said. "I wonder when some people say that other countries are building up their forces for defence, but decry our defence forces. I fail to see how these parallel arguments apply.” After the Mayor: had inspected the parade, the commanding officer of the corps ‘Lieutenant-Commander F. J S la S v Ul??.. asked ti?® Ven. Archdeacon W. T. Williams to dedicate the Queen’s Colour. The Mayor subsequently handed the colour to Sub-Lieutenant L. R. Reeves. At the march-past of the parade outside H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus,.the Mayor took the salute. Presentation of Frizes Commander Keay presented the annual prizes, which, were won as follows: Most outstanding,’cadet, Petty-Offlcer L. Payne; cadet wlho had taken most interest in corps ‘ activities, Leading Seaman A. Osmond;- best guard, starboard watch; shootihg cup, port watch; best shot, Cadet |Nevin; swimming cup port watch; tug-of-war cun, starboard watch; whaler sailing, starboard watch; whafler pulling, port ? a t?b; s f. nal j CU P.‘ Leading Seaman Leitch; attendance. Cadet R. Parsonsbest quartermaster, i Leading Seaman Beckett; best-dressedi cadet, Able Seaman Bent; first cadet of the second generation of sea cadets, Cadet Rosewarne. , About 80 guests watched the parade.