THE BOLD CAPTAIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1154, 15 June 1911, Page 6

THE BOLD CAPTAIN.

AND THE MAJOR. CADET OFFICER'S COMPLAINT. Rumours of pending trouble in the Junior Cadet Department have lately been the subject of discussion among teacherofficers in Wellington. This trouble seems likely to be brought to a head at an early date, for yesterday members of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute received the following circular:—

A special meeting of the institute will be held in the Education Board Buildings on Friday, June 16, 1311, at 8 p.m. Business: To consider what action, if any, shall be taken in the matter of Major M'Donald's attempt to penalise a school and teacher on account of the course taken by the latter at a meeting of the institute held to consider the major's proposed scheme of physical drill for tho schools.

During the course of a conversation wit'h .one of tho Wellington junior cadet officers yesterday, a representative of ■Tub Dominion gathered that tho above circular referred ta a complaint which had been preferred against Major T. W. M'Donnld, Officer Commanding vne New Zealand Junior Cadets, by Captain E. H. Ballachcy, Officer Commanding the Hntt District High School Cadets. His "Amour Propre." Some months ago, it will lie remembered, Major M'Donnld addressed to the Wellington Education Board a mcm°randuni on the subject' of physical drill, covering certain suggestions for the introduction of a system of free gymnastics, on the lines of those lately adopted tor tho physical drill syllabus of the British Army. The principle of the suggested system was the abolition. of gymnastic apparatus. The Education Board, after a brief discussion, decided to refer the suggestions to the Teachers Institute for an expression of opinion. Subsequently, two meetings of the institute were held, the proposals wore <hs-cus.-sd, and a series of three resolutions were" adopted and duly forwarded on to tho Education Board. Two of these were moved by Mr. Ballaclicy, and it is the second of the two which is stated to have wounded the commandant's amour propre. It read as follows: — "That the institute is wholly in accord with tho proposal to form classes for the instruction of teachers in physical drill, provided that the board is submitted satisfactory evidence that the proposed instructors are specially qualified to touch the subject efficiently." "On the Carpet." The suggestion that some precaution was necessary to ensure that "the proposed instructors are specially qualified to teach tho subject efficiently" appears to have offended the commandant of the junior cadets, continued the speaker, and on the first occasion that Captain Ballachey visited cadet headquarters on official business ho received a "wigging" from Major M'Douald. Major M'Donald ir. said to have intimated to Captain Ballachey that ho (the cadet commandant) would not send any moro instructnrs to the Hutt School till Captain Ballachey asked for them. It is presumed, by ihoso acquainted with the facts of the case, that this order was given effect to, for en tho next occasion upon which one of tho stiff instructors visited, in the forenoon, the Petone Cadets and the Marist Brothers' School Cadets, he did not, as was his wont, visit the Entt School •in the. afternoon. Correspondence then ensued between Captain Balhchey and Major M'Donald.' ' The Jersey Outfit. Then came some little difference about the cadet jersey-uniforms. It is stated that when the matter of adding certain shoulder straps to thw jerseys of ihc Hutt Cadets was under consideration, Captain Ballaclicy was informed lint he uoed not have a now outfit; that if hofelit in the jerseys the.shoulder-straps would bo fixed on. He "'accordingly sent the.';i in.. Subsequently he was informed that.the Department would give him e. new set of jer.-eys, and keep his old set, which was in excellent renair. for tlio use of small cadet units in'outlying districts. Ho accepted this suggestion. Subsequently, ho made further inquiry regarding the jerseys, and was informed that the new outfit could not bo supplied, as tho old outfit was quite good enough. Captain Ballachey had hr.rdly recovered from tho shock of disappointment when, behold, out came thj new outfit, suggesting, stated the cadet officer who was rplatinsr the history of the case, one of two things—either "that (he Department had ronented of its behaviour, or that the new uiitfit had b?en dispatched .from the. slures ■ beforo the order could be countermanded.

Captain Ballachey Approached. Captain Billachey was also approached by. the reporter and asked for a statein ont of the- case.

I am not goinf; to say a word about it, he said. "What I have to say will be said at the meeting—and m committee."

All Ihese matters will bo threshed, out at the meeting jf the institute on Friday It is also stated that the matter has been brought under the notice of the Headmasters Association, but nothili" could bo ascertained as to what action if any, had been taken. Tho general feeliiiamong teachers is that a serious question of principle has eben raised in connection with the matter. Tho Education Board expressly asked the Teachers' Institute for Us opinion, and for ewe«iV an opinion-aucf getting that opinion on-dorsed-one of tho teachers lias, acco? - ing to the above storv, been calledln account by the commandant of the wdet °