“Hold Fast To The Right”: Minister To Sea Cadets

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28771, 17 December 1958, Page 7

“Hold Fast To The Right”: Minister To Sea Cadets

“ ‘Hold fast to that which is right’—that is the signal I would give you tonight,” said the Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly), when he attended an end-of-year parade of the Canterbury Division Navy League Sea Cadet Corps. In going rouncl the country he was generally very proud of young New Zealanders, and the part they were playing, not only in the Sea Cadet Corps, but also in Army and Air Force units. Their appearance on parade, he told the cadets, and the answers they gave in response to his questions, were all he would have expected of a corps which had such a record as Canterbury, the first established in the country. It was a fundamental mark of good citizenship to take an interest in the defence of one’s country, Mr Connolly said. “You have done this on a voluntary basis . . . and your record of recruitment into the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve is also high. I have never regretted joining the Otago Division of the R.N.Z.N.V.R. in the days before the Second World War.” Upon his arrival at H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus, Mr Connolly inspected the colour guard and, after divisions, inspected the ship’s company. accompanied by the corps commanding officer (LieutenantCommander F. J. Glanville), the Director of Reserves (Commander J. D. Keay), Captain J. M. Allan, officer commanding the Canterbury Division, R.N.Z.N.V.R., and Lieutenant-Commander J. Pallot, staff officer, H.M.N.Z.S., Pegasus. He then presented the prizes.

Cadet Petty Officer M. R. Bradford was presented with the Nelson Column trophy, awarded to the most outstanding cadet, and Cadet B. Boulton received the Steadfast trophy, presented to the cadet who. by his own efforts, had done most to advance the cause of the Sea Cadet Corps. The port watch won the cup awarded to the best guard. Cadet P. J. A. Tipping, of Christ’s College, who won the Navy League essay competition, was presented with the league’s challenge cup. The second and

third place-winners, G. Poore and G. Sorrell, both of the Shirley Boys’ High School, and neither of them sea cadets, attended to receive their minor prizes. Other Prizes Other prizes were awarded as follows : Tug-of-war: Starboard Watch. Inter-watch shooting: Starboard Watch Most consistent shot: Cadet J. Campbell. Best senior shot: Cadet B. McCallum. Best junior shot: Cadet J. Campbell. Inter-unit teams' shoot (A.T.C.-S.C.C.): Sea Cadet Corps. Shooting badges: Cadets Adams, Drewitt, Gidall, Greenhalgh, McCallum, and Ramsay. Best signalman: Cadet J. Walton Whaler pulling race: Port Watch. Whaler sailing race: Starboard Watch Swimming—lnter-watch relay race: Port Watch. Senior championship: Petty Officer R. Craig. Junior championship: Cadet M. Hunt. Best attendance: Cadet T. Nunweek. Best first-year cadet: Cadet B. Northcotte. Best-dressed cadet: Cadet Dunn.