EMPIRE DAY CELEBRATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 204, 22 May 1908, Page 5

EMPIRE DAY CELEBRATIONS.

FRICTION AT DUNEDIN.. CADET OFFICERS AND EDUCATION BOARD. (BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.^ Dunedln, May 21. At tho meeting of tho Empire Day Celebration Committee, held yesterday afternoon, . Major Smith intimated that at a meeting of the cadet officers a decision had been arrived at by the teachers not to attend the; Empire Day celebrations, on the ground that tho day was not a public holiday. The cadet officers ; had not been consulted in the first place, and did not see that it behoved them to make a public parade which tho rest of the community did not officially endorse. Tho Mayor expressed tho liveliest dissatisfaction with Major Smith's intimation. Ho felt very strongly upon the matter, and considered the action of the cadet officers a wrong one. Major Murray and Mr. T. Mackenzie, M.P. (chairman of tho Education Board), felt that they could not uphold the action of the cadet officers, for-whom Major Smith was the spokesman. Lieut.-Colonel Smyth said lie felt somewhat surprised. However, strictures one way or another woro scarcely in his province. This morning Mr. T. Mackenzie (chairman of tho Education Board) moved at tho Board's meeting' that tho Board direct tile head teachers of Dunedin and suburbs that they assemble tho schools at tho usual hour on Monday, May 25, and carry through tho following programmo^ (1) Reading suitablo literature bearing on the Empiro. (2) Addresses to tho classes by teachers or others on appropriate topics. (3) Saluting tho flag. (4) Singing tho National Anthem. (5) Head teachers and boys of Standards VII, VI, V, IV, assomblo and tako part in tho public function organised by tho Mayor of Dunedin. Tho Board requests cadets and officers to appear in uniform.

Mr. Mitchell strongly supported the motion. It was absurd that, cadet officers should not obey tho Board. If they did.not obey, the Board should take steps to linvo their commissions cancclled and their uniforms takon off their backs. The motion was carricd.