SCHOOL CADETS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 12

SCHOOL CADETS.

EEMARKS BY ME,' J. ALLEN, M.P. ' What is possibly an unintentional effect of recent defence'legislation so far as the cadet movement, is concerned was mentioned by Mr. J. 'Allen (Bruce) in the. House yesterday. He said that under one of the' proposals senior cadets would be put under the control of the primary school teachers for the purposes of the boy scout movement. Instead of putting back the, senior cadets into the junior cadets they should remain as senior cadets, but that/part of their time should.be given lip to; boy scout movement. The drill put in by them as boy scouts should count as part of the drill they should, put in- as senior cadets. There was no need, he also, thought, for unnecessary expense in the way of costly expenditure over battalion staff, battalion camps, ;etc, in respect of boys under 14 years of a?e. • ' • . ' The Hon.. G. Fowlds said that he did not agree that the effect of any clause in the Act would bo in the direction which Mr. Allen indicated. Some minot amendments, it was true, would have to be made this session. • He quite agreed with Mr. Allen that it was undesirable to expend money in extensive camps for the junior cadets. TJnd«r battalion organisation they would,get a good deal of detail work done for nothing by the officers that would require to be done from headquarters, if there was no'battalion organisation. He was ■ not quite sure that it would not be.desirable to # have all.the children attending a.school in the junior cadet •' movement. ' ■-:■: ~ Mr. Allen: That would ruin'the senior cadets altogether. .'.,'' ■'-■■-.