"ALL DOUBTS AT REST"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2217, 1 August 1914, Page 15

"ALL DOUBTS AT REST"

PARENTS AND CADET TRAINING

Referring to tho training of, tho Senior Cadets in liis annual report to Parliamenti the General Officer Commanding the New : Zealand.Forces (Sir Alexander Godjey) remarks' thitt they "liave improved in every Way since last year. This was made evident at the parades for tho inspection of the Inspector-Gen-eral of the Oversea Forces. Their steadiness in tlie ranks arid the manner in which they marched past- , sliows that thoir discipline and training have improved very considerably, find reflects credit on all officers and sioited officers concerned in their train 1 Ing. A healthy spirit of emulation be.tw«eh companies and of esprit de corps lias made itself evident in many instances. Practically all the companies have been armed, which lias stimulated tlie efforts of tb.6 Cadets. _ ; "Considering that in the majoritv of cases the companies seen, by tlie Inspec-tor-General liad been concentrated for the first time as such, it was remarkable how well thev worked together. But there is no question tih'at for the efficient and satisfactory training _of Cadets in scattered country distfiote periodical concentrations such as are recommended by the. Inspector-General would' produce far tetter" Tosults than the present system of drills by a peripatetic instructor. I trust that money to enable us to' give effect to his recommendations will be forthcoming. . ' "In the initial stages of tlrt Cadet training it was no doubt necessary, _in vie* ofihe prejudices , and doubts which existed on the subject in the minds of patents and employers, to insist upon all drills -taking place within reach of the lads' homes. Nor I am sure that the experience of the last three sears has set these doubts at rest, and th'at those parents of guardians who would see any objeetion to their, boys, attending a concentration of Cadets would be few and far between. Many cases have come to my notice where' , , employers and others have remarked the improvement in behaviouiN physique, and appearance of the Cadets in their civil■-capacity."